At first glance, the cabinet plans for reducing nitrogen emissions presented on Friday have been well received by the province of Brabant. According to deputy Elies Lemkes (Agriculture), the route taken is clear. “The way of farming has to change, but farmers do get perspective.”
They are also happy at the provincial house that the cabinet plans are finally there. And although all the pieces have not yet been thoroughly sorted out, the first image is a balanced one. “We know the route taken by the cabinet like no other. We have been working on this for years in Brabant,” said deputy Lemkes.
Minister Piet Adema of LNV had to come up with clear plans for the future of the farmers. The fact that those plans are actually still quite vague, Lemkes thinks is only a good thing. “The line is completely clear, we follow Remkes’ route. Innovate, switch, move or eventually buy out. But how exactly, that’s exactly what we need to discuss with each other.”
Agricultural agreement
Adema’s goal – around the table with all chain partners: farmers, feed companies, supermarkets and banks – is of vital importance, according to Lemkes. “Because we have to talk about revenue models and the future together. You can’t record that without conversations.” She is happy that those talks are taking place in the short term. The so-called agricultural agreement should be in place around March.
There is now real clarity for the farmers who want to stop. That is to say, the scheme for peak loaders is final. There will be no better supply, so farmers no longer have to wait. Incidentally, the scheme only applies to large emitters close to vulnerable nature. The conditions will become clear in January.
Innovation
Lemkes emphasizes that there is still plenty of room in the cabinet plans for farmers who not want to stop. For example, if they opt for a less intensive form of farming. Or if they can reduce nitrogen emissions through innovation. “The cabinet would like to focus on ‘real time monitoring’ as it is called. And the development of new technologies in agriculture. And we have been working on that in Brabant since 2017. I would like to invite the minister to come and have a look here .”
Brabant has long had its own policy when it comes to limiting nitrogen emissions: farmers must have a low-emission stable before 1 January 2024. The permit for this must be applied for before 1 April 2023. On November 4, the province announced that it would temporarily stop issuing those permits. This is because the judge questioned the actual reduction of those stables several times. The province decided that the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality should clarify how to deal with the emission calculations.
ZLTO
On Friday it was announced that the Ministry of LVN will not give a definite answer about this until mid-2023. Too late for the deadline imposed by the province on farmers for applying for such a permit. The ZLTO is clear: “The Brabant Stables Decree for the adaptation of cattle stables older than 15 or 20 years is completely unfeasible. This makes it de facto impossible for livestock farmers to apply for a permit before April 1, 2023, to obtain it, to arrange financing. and to actually realize the barn adjustment before 1 January 2024.”
The ZLTO therefore calls on the provincial government to remove the deadline of 1 January 2024 for all livestock sectors. Something Lemkes can’t answer yet. “What the consequences are of the time schedule of the ministry, we must indeed look closely at that. I cannot say much about that at the moment.”
According to the province, it is now especially important to continue on the chosen path. To see for each area what is possible or no longer possible in that area. Because the targets are undiminished, a nitrogen reduction of 50 percent by 2030.
PAS detectors
The regulations should also help solve the problems surrounding PAS detectors. These are farmers who do not have a full nitrogen permit through no fault of their own. The hope is that so many farms will stop voluntarily that enough nitrogen space will be released to help the PAS reporters. Then they could get a permit.
In Brabant, this concerns almost 500 companies. The cabinet is giving 250 million euros to the provinces to be able to apply tailor-made solutions for PAS reporters. Lemkes emphasizes that it is indeed a matter of customization. “But the nitrogen space that we free up first goes to nature and the PAS detectors.”
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