The cabinet wants to switch to circular agriculture, it was announced ten days ago. You would think that as an organic farmer you would already be well on your way. Yet organic farmer Peter Oosterhof from Foxwolde fears the worst. He is right next to De Onlanden, which falls under Natura2000. The nitrogen map published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality states that it must emit 70 to 95 percent less nitrogen. And that, he says, does not work.
Oosterhof feeds his cows almost no concentrates, but mainly grass with herbs. The grass contains chicory, grain, vetch, white and red clover and the narrow plantain. Clover provides nitrogen fixation. All this together ensures healthy soil and a healthy cow.
The environment also benefits. For example, dragonflies fly in the ditch adjacent to the meadow where his cows graze and orchids grow there. Oosterhof: “They only thrive on poor soil where little fertilizer is applied. The cows will soon be walking here and I do see orchids. You can see that as a compliment from nature. Like: you are doing well. You produce food and nature. So I think agriculture and nature can go together perfectly.”
“I personally call it food-producing nature. Nature that supplies food. The management of which generates money instead of costs money. That’s actually how we should organize agriculture,” he continues.
The grass has grown without fertilizer. The little manure that is available runs out of Oosterhof diluted with water. He also has fewer animals. In fact, he is already doing everything possible to reduce nitrogen emissions. “Then it is of course wry that you are mentioned in such a letter from the minister as a solution, but you have to read in the accompanying card that you have to reduce 70 percent in terms of nitrogen emissions,” says Oosterhof.
According to Oosterhof, reducing emissions to 70 percent is not possible. “Yes, if I keep even less cows, but then I can no longer pay my bills. I actually think it is a bit of mismanagement what they are doing now. Please think about the consequences before you put something on a map For example, Rabobank has already said that it no longer wants to invest in stones or animal shelters, which is actually already shutting everything down.”