Yesterday, the House of Representatives approved the government’s nitrogen plans. However, the House of Representatives does want farmers to have more prospects, more room for innovations, a nationwide measuring network and for the provinces to be in charge of how they spend the available money.
These are adjustments that were partly made at the insistence of the farmers. Nevertheless, Dirk Bruins, foreman of LTO Noord, finds the changes insufficient. “First of all, we do not know what the minister will do with the motions that the House has adopted. But for us it remains a tricky point that the minister insists on reducing a certain amount of nitrogen, while it is important that nature is in good condition. is.”
A motion by the Boer Citizen Movement (BBB) and JA21 to remove nitrogen from the law as a benchmark only received support from small parties. “That’s because MPs find it far too complicated to look for a real solution. Then you have to go back to the drawing board. But apparently they don’t want to do that,” said Bruins.
The LTO North foreman expresses his surprise that nothing has been done at all with the plans that the farmers submitted last year together with nature organizations. “We have put forward plans that can contribute to this.” The plans could lead to a 40 percent reduction in nitrogen emissions. That is not enough, because the target for the entire country is 50 percent.
According to Minister Van der Wal, not all farmers need to leave, but according to Bruins, farmers do get that feeling. “Percentages of 70 percent nitrogen reduction are unrealistic. Then farmers have the feeling that nothing is left. Then people no longer see a way out. We want to do something, but proportionally,” says Bruins.
He points out that measuring networks can be used to determine exactly where and when nitrogen is released. “Then you can take targeted measures.” He mentions a pilot in Liefstinghsbroek, near the Natura 2000 area in Westerwolde, where a great deal of knowledge is gained through measurement.
“You sometimes see huge peaks. One of those peaks turned out to be a whirlwind. The air then apparently starts to circulate in the barn. If you know that, you can do something there.” A motion by CDA MP Derk Boswijk to further roll out this pilot across the country was supported by a majority in the House of Representatives.
Bruins mainly hopes to continue talking with the province about a solution to the nitrogen problem in Drenthe. Those talks will not take place until after the summer.