“Terrible. Madness”. Livestock farmer Ad Baltus from Zuidschermer is short of superlatives after his first look at the nitrogen plans from The Hague. There are also areas in North Holland where nitrogen must be reduced by 70 percent. The cattle farmer himself is not affected, but also does not want to remain the only farmer in the province.
“I just quickly read through the eighty pages with plans. It made me very unhappy,” says the dairy farmer from Zuidschermer. “It’s totally awful. Madness.”
“If this becomes a reality, those areas that are swept empty will become wild. What will remain? The Eilandspolder – around the corner from me – that is peat meadow area. Soon that will be peatland. Without us, without management, there will be no animals anymore. about.”
Countryside Declared Dead
In North Holland, the Noordkop is the least bad off, according to Baltus. “But Texel, the Duinrand and the south, there are hard blows. It is just sad what you see there. The countryside is declared dead there, and that simply cannot be true.”
Baltus’ company remains out of the plans for the time being. “But I know enough colleagues who have received bad news. You know, if it continues like this, I’ll be the only farmer left,” he says sourly. “These plans just really can’t.”
Province offers perspective
The Province of North Holland sees the nitrogen plans from The Hague as guidelines. “We are now going to look at how the goals of the ministry correspond to our own goals. Then we will see what is feasible.”
According to the province, the North Holland approach offers a little more perspective for farmers. “We regularly speak to the farmers to see what their future plans are. We want to provide tailor-made solutions in the sector and work out a solution together with the farmers.”
Ad Baltus laughs scornfully when he hears that the province wants to offer farmers ‘perspective’. “It is such a container concept. The Hague just throws it over the fence at the provinces. As always, the policy is made from above. There would be perspective in the plans. Well, I have not seen that. Zero.
Protest
It is crystal clear that the cabinet plans presented today can count on great resistance. “Something is going to happen,” says Baltus. “Because this cannot remain unanswered. I read in our app group about June 22, the Malieveld. That can sometimes become very large. And we will not go to The Hague by train.”