A majority of the Provincial Council agreed on Friday to adjust the nitrogen policy. Farmers no longer need a permit to make their outdated stables more sustainable and can choose measures from a ‘menu’ to significantly reduce their nitrogen emissions.
Although the Provincial Executive was unable to remove the objections of all parties, a majority still agreed to the plans.
According to the Provincial Executive’s plan, every livestock farmer will soon work gradually towards their own nitrogen target. They can decide for themselves how farmers meet their goals. The province creates a ‘menu’ with measures based on ‘scientific consensus’ from which farmers can choose. This list includes, for example, innovative systems, feeding and stable measures, nature-inclusive work and keeping fewer animals.
Protest
Farmers are not happy with the province’s agricultural and nature plans. They find the plans legally insecure and are concerned about financing because they are not allowed to take additional animals. In addition, a large part of the farmers present on Friday think nitrogen and nature policy is nonsense anyway.
They therefore came, just like at the end of November, to the provincial government building in Den Bosch to demonstrate. Despite bright words, two fireworks explosions and other noise, it remained relatively quiet in Den Bosch on Friday.
Intimidating letters
A day before the debate, members of parliament from coalition parties received a letter from a bailiff on behalf of the radical farmers’ group Farmer’s Defense Force (FDF). These letters state that members of Parliament who vote in favor of the agricultural plans would be complicit in a criminal offense. By the way, bailiffs themselves would have told members of Parliament that that is nonsense.
The members of Parliament feel intimidated by the FDF and all parties, with the exception of Forum for Democracy, started the day with a statement rejecting the action.
FDF leader Marc van den Oever spoke about the measures. During his speaking time, members of Parliament from GroenLinks, PvdA, SP, D66, Party for the Animals and Volt left the Statenzaal.
Postponement and financing
Livestock farmers must report to the province before July 1, 2026 how they will comply with their nitrogen assignment. There has been a lot of action on the right flank towards that date, which is popularly known as the ‘stable deadline’. Once again, BBB, PVV and CDA, among others, called for that date to be postponed, as has been done several times before.
Other parties did not like the display. The need to become more sustainable did not come out of the blue and has been known for years, they believe. Postponing nitrogen measures would also ensure that the province would no longer be able to prevent farmers from losing their permits in the long term. “Let’s prevent nature and environmental organizations from determining through the courts what is and what is not allowed,” said Ward Deckers (PvdA).
There was also criticism of the ‘menu’ of measures. According to the BBB, that card is too limited. Party chairman Marco Havermans missed ‘essential measures’ on Friday. “Innovations are lacking,” he said. The intention is for the menu to be expanded every six months with new available measures.
It also remains unclear whether banks are willing to finance farmers who need to adapt their stables. Earlier, a letter from the Dutch Banking Association appeared in which the banks said they would not grant loans without legal security in the form of a permit. Farmers and right-wing parties are also concerned about this legal certainty, now that farmers will soon no longer need a permit to make their stables more sustainable.
However, not every farmer has to finance an investment entirely with a loan. Research shows that on average farmers have enough money in the bank to be able to (at least partially) pay for sustainability themselves.
Legal certainty
Deputy for Nitrogen Wilma Dirken (VVD) emphasized on Friday that 100 percent legal certainty is not possible, partly because the province cannot ask the highest court for advice, as a cabinet can. Nevertheless, the deputy has confidence in the new policy. “Our legal advisors and the state attorney say that there is a sustainable system.”
She received support from D66 faction leader Matthijs van Miltenburg. He thought it was ‘easy’ for the banks “to make a legal analysis. Then I trust the lawyers who have been asked for advice.” However, the representative has again asked the banks for advice, after previously explaining the policy again.
Despite a number of uncertainties, a majority of Provincial Councils concluded on Friday that a step forward is better than standing still. Especially as long as new nitrogen plans from The Hague take some time.