News item | 04-12-2023 | 3:30 PM
The government wants to work together with the farmers of the Netherlands on a strong and sustainable agricultural sector. Innovation can play an important role in this. In recent years, however, it has become apparent that certain innovative housing systems have not yet been sufficiently reliable and effective and are therefore legally vulnerable when permits are granted. In livestock farming there are plenty of ideas about adjustments regarding, for example, feed, management, in the stable, and for processing manure. Broad collaboration is required to make these innovations actually successful in practice.
That is why the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), together with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW), sector organizations, provinces, the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), FME and the Animal Protection Organization, has set up a Regieorgaan in order to jointly promote innovations. to move forward faster. This collaboration starts with the signing of an agreement.
Breakthrough innovations
The aim of the collaboration is to achieve so-called breakthrough innovations. These are innovations that actually contribute to emission targets for ammonia, particulate matter, odor and greenhouse gases, but that also ensure better entrepreneurship, earning capacity and animal welfare. With innovations for livestock farming, it is not only important that it is technically effective and works in practice, it must also be profitable, be legally sustainable and meet social requirements for the living environment and animal welfare.
Piet Adema, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality: “It is important for farmers to be able to use innovations in their work. It is therefore great that we are working with the Regieorgaan to accelerate innovations in livestock farming. Together we are committed to making livestock farming even more sustainable.”
Christianne van der Wal, Minister for Nature and Nitrogen: “The challenges in rural areas for nature restoration, water quality and climate are major. We must continue to invest in innovation as part of the solutions for the future. The Directive will be very valuable for a joint, integrated approach.”
Practical pilots
Practical pilots are central to the Regieorgaan’s working method. The aim of these practical pilots is to use field research to find out which breakthrough innovations do and do not work in practice. Livestock farmers, chain parties, knowledge institutions, governments and social parties can experiment together in practical pilots. For example, this may involve innovations in the stable, such as techniques that separate manure and urine, extraction of dirty air, or collection of particulate matter in the stable. Feeding and management measures can also be tested. Consider grazing more cows, removing manure from the stable more often or feeding less protein to the cattle. A wide range of adjustments is discussed, so that the entire livestock keeping system is examined integrally.
Advice and support
The Regieorgaan will play an advisory role in the development of government regulations when it comes to a regulatory and testing system for target control of emissions with an assurance system based on, among other things, sensor and data systems. The Regieorgaan will select a number of breakthrough innovations and provide expert support in the development of innovations. To achieve workable and legally sustainable innovations, good scientific substantiation of sustainability questions and solutions is essential.