Young pig farmers about nitrogen agreement: “This way we will soon import all agricultural products””

Thijs Debeer from Houtem joined his father’s mixed farm in 2018. Together they run an arable and closed pig farm, which fatten the piglets themselves. The nitrogen agreement, which provides 3.6 billion euros to buy out and support farmers, is hitting hard. “At first glance, it appears that the older generation is getting the golden handshake. Those people can stop their business. For the younger generation, the future is full of uncertainty.” (read more below the photo)

West Flanders has five red farms that are forced to stop by 2025. Nearly 100 farmers have an orange card, but they can go even further with technological interventions and fewer animals. Thijs has a license for 250 sows to breed in a green zone. But he doesn’t like 30 percent fewer pigs by 2030. “No entrepreneur in any industry can cut 30 percent with the same investment,” he says. “Agriculture, that is constantly innovating. But it stops somewhere. This is surely the tipping point at which we say: this is no longer possible.”

“Import everything soon”

Thijs’ new pigsty prevents the formation of ammonia, because the pigs’ urine does not come into contact with the solid faeces. For larger stables there are air scrubbers. Thijs thinks the calculations to reduce nitrogen are too strict. “The nitrogen emissions that remain after the stoppers have been bought out still have to be reduced by the young permanent farmers and that figure is not correct. If things continue like this, we will import practically all agricultural products from abroad in ten years’ time.”