Calculations by the Ministry of Finance show for the first time how many farms are affected by the government’s nitrogen plans. According to the data, 11,200 farms will have to close and another 17,600 farmers will have to cut their livestock numbers sharply, by a third to almost half.
The documents expose a simmering conflict between the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), which takes the lead in the nitrogen approach, and the Ministry of Finance, which monitors costs. The nitrogen approach in Rutte IV’s coalition agreement is seen as ‘the LNV approach’: a lot of money is available to buy out farmers or to innovate their companies so that they emit less nitrogen, but there must be as little coercion as possible.
The Ministry of Finance does not agree with this strategy and has therefore repeatedly tried to change the government’s mind in recent months. This was done by mapping out the costs and elaboration of the outlined policy.