Schouten calls for action on manure fraud

If pig farmers want to appeal to the government in the future, they will first have to take a step towards society themselves. That is what Carola Schouten, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), said at an extra POV meeting in Heteren (Gelderland) on Monday 18 December.

The agriculture minister addressed the more than 100 pig farmers prior to the members' meeting of the Producers Organization Pig Farming (POV). Her speech focused on the fight against manure fraud.

Persistent cheating
Schouten indicated that he was angry about the continued cheating with manure, which includes pig farmers. "The entire sector is being cast in a bad light. I do not accept that farmers, who do well and abide by the rules, are swept along with those who don't."

Schouten named this as the main motivation to intervene immediately. She has commissioned POV, LTO Nederland, TNL, Cumela and Rabobank to a plan of action to combat manure fraud. On Thursday 21 December, Schouten will inform the House of Representatives about this.

Don't look away anymore
Minister Schouten pointed out to pig farmers that now is the time to initiate a culture change around the use of manure. "It's not the government's problem, it's the sector's problem. The time to look away is over." Schouten also indicated that she wants to start a discussion about the effect of the stacked manure legislation. She emphasized that the aim is to maintain public support for pig farming.

fight
Schouten understands that pig farmers are sometimes driven to despair and suffer from sometimes poor selling prices. She referred to the €200 million that the cabinet has reserved for a warm remediation of pig farming. "We have an eye for you, but the pig industry must act as an ally."

Schouten emphasizes that the cabinet wants to increase the market power of farmers in the chain. She will discuss this with Brussels. "If you incur additional costs, as a result of additional demands from the retail sector, then this must be paid for in the price. I will fight for you in Brussels, but that is not possible if the sector is committing fraud. You must realize that this is one of the few survivability. If you want the government to take a step towards you, you must first take a step towards society."

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