Making it more sustainable means, for example, fewer animals per hectare, switching to organic farming and producing new products such as protein-rich crops. Further sustainability can also be achieved through technical innovations. If farmers are unable or unwilling to comply with this, the options that come up are relocating or voluntarily terminating the company.
The ministers say that they will make knowledge and money available for all options. “Via the Subsidy Module Agricultural Business Advice and Education (Sabe scheme), subsidy for young or starting farmers (settlement support in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)) and the Conversion Program for Sustainable Agriculture.” The CAP also includes EUR 120 million for an eco-scheme. Farmers then receive money if, for example, they opt for extra grazing for livestock.
Minister Staghouwer says it is important for farmers to have a future in the Netherlands. He wants the entire chain (such as supermarket chains, consumers) to contribute to making agriculture more sustainable. “A farmer can only sustainably change his or her business operations if the entire chain cooperates. After all, the real perspective for farmers is determined by the demand for more sustainable products from the market and the right price that the farmer receives for this,” says the ministry.
After the summer, Staghouwer will instruct chain parties to take concrete actions to improve the earning capacity of sustainable farmers. “If this does not get off the ground sufficiently, legal obligations will follow.”
In places where, according to the cabinet, farms are a good fit, they are given priority over the ground. “Agriculture in these areas takes precedence over functions that are less dependent on environmental factors, such as solar parks, distribution or data centers. In areas where nature or the soil and groundwater are under great pressure, agriculture will have to be organized more extensively in any case. with more attention to the management of nature and landscape.”
With the package of measures, the government hopes to tackle the nitrogen crisis. “By cleverly combining nitrogen reduction measures in an area-oriented approach with other reduction measures to improve the climate, soil and water quality, nature is restored, permits for entrepreneurs and construction projects are restarted and PAS reporters can obtain a permit.”