At the initiative of Lokaal Brabant, the coalition parties submit a proposal on Friday to postpone the Stallendeadline for farmers with six months. For those deadline, dairy cattle and calf holders must reduce nitrogen emissions on their companies. They can, for example, do this with a stable system that causes a lower nitrogen emission.
Now the deadline is still on January 1, 2026. It has been agreed in the coalition agreement that that date can only remain if nine months in advance it is certain that permits can be granted for measures that cause less nitrogen. That certainty is not there now, says the coalition.
The stallendeadline is an important part of the Brabant nitrogen approach. By allowing farmers to meet these requirements, the province hopes for a considerable decrease in nitrogen emissions.
Insecurity
For a long time there has been a lot of uncertainty about the functioning of stable systems. Certainly the innovative stable floors for cattle farmers often do not do what is being promised on paper.
It is also not financially attractive for many farmers to invest in an expensive stable system. They often took more animals to pay for the system. They could strip the extra nitrogen emissions, because the stable floor would cause less nitrogen. This is called internal netting. But in December last year, the Council of State decided that that is no longer allowed.
Also read: Brabant farmers hit extra hard by the Council of State ruling
“It is already clear that this situation has not yet been resolved in April,” says Lokaal Brabant party chairman Hubert Koevoets. Reason for his party to call up the college to six months of postponing together with coalitionmates VVD, GroenLinks, PvdA, D66 and SP.
Halfway through 2026, the permit must be set again, the expectation is. “Currently, new systems are being approved, which must become available by that time,” says Koevoets.
Less animals
But the chance that internal sales are allowed again by that time is small. Many farmers may not opt for a stable system, because they will not get the financial picture without taking extra animals. However, these farmers must also have sufficiently reduced their nitrogen emissions before the deadline.
Taking more land, designing your company in a different way or simply taking fewer animals are also options, it often sounds. But certainly before getting rid of animals, farmers are not exactly jumping. Because how do money still have to be earned?
That is why the coalition parties also call on the college in their proposal to investigate how farmers who want to keep fewer animals can be helped. In addition, the college must turn to the government for extra money.
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Stallendeadline for Brabant farmers remains standing, exception dairy cattle