Experts who decide which pesticides farmers can use will talk to concerned residents of lily bulb growers early next year.
It is important that the dialogue between these employees of the The Board for the Authorization of Plant Protection Products and Biocides (Ctgb) will get underway in this way, said agricultural representative Jisse Otter (BBB) on Wednesday during a discussion in the Drenthe Parliament.
Lily bulb cultivation
Members of Parliament Anry Kleine Deters (D66) and Alfred Schoenmaker (Sterk Lokaal Drenthe) asked him critical questions in response to a letter about findings by King’s Commissioner Jetta Klijnsma and the response from the Provincial Executive. In recent years, Klijnsma has chaired consultations between supporters and opponents of lily bulb cultivation in the municipality of Westerveld. They often fought each other verbally, and Klijnsma tried to calm things down.
The Ctgb plays an important role in the background. Because farmers say that the resources they use have been approved by this council. Critical local residents argue that farmers often use a mix of these products and that too little is known about the effect of that cocktail. The collective Meten=Weten, among others, collects data on the extent to which pesticides spread across nature reserves and inhabited areas.
Wrong throat hole
In the letter, Klijnsma writes that the Ctgb must do more with the insights that local residents have obtained. This did not go down well with Schoenmaker, because the commissioner would thereby discredit the Ctgb. According to Otter, Klijnsma did not express her own position, but one of the signals she has received as a peacemaker.
The same applies to the recommendation that the province should draw up a list of pesticides that are easily blown from the field into the surrounding area. Otter: “It is not the case that the commissioner is taking his own political position. It is a signal that emerged from the conversations. But I imagine this is all confusing. It is also exceptional that the commissioner takes on the role of bringing supporters and opponents together at the table in such a conflict.”