'Sharpening standards is careless'

Various advocates, consultancies and manufacturers of air scrubbers send a letter to State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven (Infrastructure and Water Management). In it they call for the proposed changes to the odor policy in livestock farming to be suspended.

"In our opinion, it is premature, careless and also disproportionate to measure the odor reduction percentages of combi air washers to equate with single air scrubbers", according to a press release from the Producers Organization Pig Farming (POV)† The parties object and call on pig farmers to do the same.

Research results
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has proposed amendments to the Regulations on 'odor nuisance and livestock farming' and 'ammonia and livestock farming'. This is because studies show that combined air washers reduce odor less than originally thought.

This means that Van Veldhoven wants a significant tightening of the emission standards for combi air scrubbers, and that has major consequences for the vitalization of pig farming. "In the proposal, it completely ignores the investments made by pig farmers, in order to comply with the standards for odor and ammonia emissions," says POV chairman Ingrid Jansen.

To combine forces
This has ensured that the POV, LTO Nederland, agricultural consultancy firms and a representation from the sounding board group of manufacturers of air scrubbers have joined forces. They want to talk to Van Veldhoven to prevent her from making these adjustments. "The research results, impact and responsibilities need to be further clarified before decisions are made," according to Jansen.

In a response, the parties call on the State Secretary to enter into discussions with the sector. They also ask for further research, because there are still questions about the measurement results and conclusions of the research. In addition, they propose to draw up a plan: how to improve the quality of air scrubbers, with a measurement protocol for actual odor emissions and an introduction of a test barn status for odor.

Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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