The Stikstofclaim foundation is going to court because the province requires farmers to install certain systems in their stables before 1 July next year. According to chairman John Spithoven, the preliminary relief proceedings must be served ‘as soon as possible’, because farmers in the province must apply for a permit before October 1 to install those systems.
According to the foundation, Brabant relies on outdated figures about the housing systems, which seriously underestimate the actual nitrogen emissions. That was also the conclusion of a study by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in June, but Brabant is still sticking to the deadline. With the housing systems, the province wants to reduce nitrogen emissions.
“It is incomprehensible that Brabant is so stubborn about this,” says Spithoven. “The farmers have to choose from those systems, but they are no longer legally feasible.” He refers to the chance that the court will reject a permit because the nitrogen emissions are too high. The foundation wants the province to wait until national standards for the housing systems have been tightened. “With this, Brabant forces companies to go illegal.” Stichting Stikstofclaim stands up for the interests of the agricultural sector in the nitrogen discussion.