Not achieving phosphate reduction will run into the euros

The phosphate reduction plan came February 17 officially out through the Government Gazette. Dairy farmers can use this to see what they are going to do with the LU scheme. Careful attention must be paid to which reference is met, because the fine for one or the other reference is significantly higher.  

• Reference number: number of cattle on July 2, 2015 minus 4 percent
• Target number: number of cattle on 1 October 2016, never lower than reference number, minus the intended decrease per period
• Period 1: March and April 2017, 5 percent for each month
• Period 2: May and June 2017, 10 percent for each month
• Period 3: July and August 2017, maximum 10 percent for each month
• Period 4: September and October 2017, minimum 40 percent
• Period 5: November and December 2017, minimum 40 percent
• Fine not achieving target of 240 euros per LU, one-off 480 euros in April, because March is too short a day
• Fine for not meeting reference 56 euros per LU
• Achieve reward reference: periods 2 and 3 60 euros per LU, periods 4 and 5 150 euros 
• The 4 percent discount on reference 2 July 2015 does not apply to land-based farms, but these farms also have to return to the size of the herd on 2 July 2015. The target fine therefore applies.
• A land-based farm: production of animal fertilizers by cattle in 2015 minus the phosphate margin yields a value of 0 or less. For female cattle aged 0 - 1 year, 9,6 kilograms of phosphate applies, for female cattle of 1 year or older, but which has not yet calved, 21,9 kilograms of phosphate, and 41,3 kilograms of phosphate applies to cattle that have calved. Below ground, the surface is included that belongs to the company on the basis of the combined statement 2015 and the agricultural census
• LU: cattle from 0 to 1 year 0,23 LU, up to calves 0,53 LU and after calves 1 LU
• Effective date: 1 March 2017

Because the stopper regulation has already been announced and the reduction of phosphate via feed has already come into effect, the sector plan is now complete. Statistics Netherlands will monitor the state of affairs with regard to phosphate reduction. It goes without saying that the phosphorus content in the roughage grown by dairy farmers remains a mystery. Something that, for example, yielded a higher result in 2015. With the plan, the sector hopes to remove 8,2 million kilograms of phosphate from the market and to secure the derogation for broader usage standards for nitrogen.