The cabinet has worked out how much nitrogen reduction should be achieved in which location in the Netherlands. In some areas in the Netherlands, nitrogen emissions must be reduced by 70 to 80 percent, such as the Gelderse Vallei and De Peel in North Brabant, NRC writes. In Groningen and Friesland it would be a 20 percent reduction; Drenthe remains unmentioned.
According to NRC, the provinces would have been updated in a technical briefing by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries (LNV). A map with percentages of nitrogen reduction would have been shown during that meeting. The province of Drenthe says it is not familiar with the percentages mentioned and is awaiting the official letter to parliament, which will be published on June 10.
Also minister Christianne van der Wal of nitrogen and nature does not mention a percentage. “How much less livestock is the result of the area-oriented approach. So you can’t say exactly. It is obvious that it will lead to a reduction in livestock,” she said in a response to the NOS.
The Drenthe department of LTO is not reassured that Drenthe does not have to take any measures because the province is not mentioned. “It would be a nice conclusion if Drenthe was the first to emerge. But the sandy soils of Drenthe are often mentioned. We are afraid of the effect and the goals for Drenthe. It is frustrating that we have sent advice with an enormous reduction. It seems as if everything is being pushed aside and that the goal is buy-out and reduction around Natura 2000 areas. It is impossible for this to happen,” says Arend Steenbergen of LTO.
“Even if Drenthe has to reduce by 20 percent, that is a huge task given the 13 or 14 Natura 2000 areas that the province has. I think it will not be easy. And that while innovations are also possible and there are already a million cows have decreased since 1984. Moreover, the emissions are estimated and not measured; there are deviations of 100 percent. Policy is made on assumptions. With that policy you drive agriculture out of the country and you miss the quality of life in the countryside.” said Steenbergen.
Nitrogen professor Jan Willem Erisman was also previously critical of the policy. He really sees buyout as a last option. According to Erisman, there are eight Natura 2000 areas in Drenthe where something needs to be done. But, according to him, buying out farmers should not be at the top of the list.
“Around those areas you will have to reduce the number of animals or use more land with the same numbers. This is possible with nature-inclusive agriculture, circular agriculture or low-emission agriculture,” says Erisman. Whichever measure is chosen, production will almost always suffer. Erisman therefore believes that it is necessary to look at how the farmer’s income can be maintained.
“Give farmers the opportunity to come up with plans themselves. If those plans are not feasible, intervene so that the objectives can still be achieved,” Erisman said earlier about the cabinet plans.