Dairy farming requires Control-Alt-Delete

In dairy farming, it's time for Control-Alt-Delete. Something that was underlined when Agriculture Minister Carola Schouten said in May that there is no room to help the approximately 800 bottlenecks. Schouten was upset, but is there really no room to help? It was a reason for a dairy farmer to write an open letter to politicians.

Dear Sir / Madam,

I would like to talk to you about the cycle pointer en the binding advice of the Land-relatedness Committee. As a dairy farmer, I can gratefully use the opportunities offered by the Kringloopwijzer and the other accountability tools every year to make the sale of manure cheaper. This is because, due to the results of the calculations, much less manure needs to be removed than if the Cycle Indicator were to function properly.

I call that taking advantage of the opportunities that are available. Others probably call it fraud, should it come out. I have had that knowledge for a long time. I think it's time now to share that, especially with the reason that I like to work in a way that is not up for discussion for any reason. I am prepared to give my input, in order to make the agricultural sector more future-proof. Although I fully realize the consequences of this email. If you need to elaborate on this substantively, I am happy to do so.

Gaps in Recycling Guide
The possibilities within the Kringloopwijzer mean the silage samples. These can be taken just as often until a result is found that 'fits'. For example, one company may arrive at 1,3 grams per kilogram of dry matter, while the other company achieves a result of 1,9 grams per kilogram of dry matter. Those samples are taken from the same pit. 

Although the first result fits better in the manure accounting, it also means that I have to intervene to keep the cows healthy. That was the argument for having more samples taken. It also indicates the latitude there is within phosphate monitoring. 

Another example: if I have 3 pits, 1 with my own maize and 2 purchased, I can choose where the samples are taken. Or a sample has already been taken and then you drive even more corn into the hump. It makes me wonder how CBS gets its information. If I already know so much variation in 1 pit, what about the Dutch average? 

You can stab as many times as you want to get the right sample. However, what does this say about the BEX and the Kringloopwijzer? Are the numbers correct, and is there really no room to help the bottlenecks? While this is something you'd rather not disclose, 800 companies are now at risk of collapse. That may not be necessary. If things continue to be wrong, you keep kicking to give the youngsters a better starting position.

Pain due to phosphate rights
In recent years I have been involved in trying to think along with the advocates and thinking about solutions. Time and again I have drawn attention to my personal situation and I have certainly not forgotten that almost everyone feels the pain of the introduction of the phosphate rights† Unfortunately to no avail so far.

Then only the option remains to come up with something yourself, in order to be able to continue the company. Continuing with the number of licensed rights is not an option and the purchase of additional rights cannot be counted right. It legal process is certainly a possibility, but that takes too long to keep one's head above water.

In one last effort, I now turn to you. In recent years I have wondered several times why there is no solution for the companies that are going to fail, and I have tried to come up with solutions for this within, among others, the LTO Netherlands.

Solutions?
If you look at the structure of Dutch agriculture, you will see that things are going to change. The number of companies without successor is large and some have already chosen a moment to end their business. But that is of no use to us at the moment.

During a meeting of LTO Nederland I once suggested (as a possible solution) to make an inventory of who wants to stop their company in the coming years, and I suggested trying to bring that moment forward by meeting them in order to make room. Space that is not there now and that is needed to be able to offer perspective.

* The author of the letter wishes to remain anonymous. The name is known to the editors.

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