The ZLTO wants the province to oppose the cabinet decision to drastically reduce nitrogen emissions. “Otherwise farmers have no chance of survival,” says Wim Bens, chairman of agricultural and horticultural organization ZLTO. He speaks of an ‘unsustainable assignment’.
The province must figure out where to take which measures in Brabant. This is done on behalf of the cabinet. Nitrogen emissions must be drastically reduced, especially around nature reserves. There it seems that many farmers will have to disappear.
“Farmers have no chance of survival.”
Wim Bens finds that incomprehensible. “The province must oppose this. A water directive and a climate target are on the way. The consequences of this will all end up in the same areas in Brabant. In fact, farmers have no chance of survival. A purchase scheme is not always a suitable solution either. .”
It will be especially difficult around De Peel, says Bens. “I can imagine that there are farmers who have seen it there. But that does not apply to every farmer there. We have to give them opportunities. We have to be patient and give farmers the opportunity to switch to sustainability in those areas. “
“It concerns family businesses that have made the Netherlands great.”
The plans hit the farmers very hard, says Bens. “This is a very difficult and actually untenable assignment. Imagine that you are a farmer with a family, and that you receive a letter stating that you no longer belong at home. That you have to disappear. How are you supposed to earn money? Nothing is said about that.”
The ZLTO therefore wants to keep looking for solutions. “It concerns family businesses that have made the Netherlands great. These are people who have worked very hard and now have to disappear in the short term. Our farmers are renowned worldwide. We can use the knowledge and energy of our farmers to become the most sustainable. farmer or horticulturist does not want that in Brabant.”
READ MORE: Nitrogen crisis: Farmers Defense Force warns of major farmer actions