Dutch cabinet, farmers divided over proposed limit on cows per hectare
A potential limit on the number of cows per hectare of grassland included in a leak of the government’s Agricultural Accord (Landbouwakkord) has divided the Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Ministry and farmer representatives, as the latter vehemently opposes the measure.
The Agricultural Accord, which aims to solidify a future plan for the agrarian sector and has been in the negotiation stage for months, is a consequence of the Dutch nitrogen crisis, as EU directives force the country to significantly lower nitrogen emissions.
The government’s plans to tackle emissions in the agricultural sector have been met with fierce resistance by Dutch farmers.
“We are firmly against [the measure],” Bart Kemp, chairman of agricultural interest group Agractie, told AD.
“And I cannot imagine that [other agricultural interest groups] can agree to this,” he added.
According to farmers’ representatives who participated in the negotiations, the ministry proposed a limit of 2.5 – 3 cows per hectare.
“We calculated that, and then at least one in five dairy farmers will be in trouble,” stated Henk Bleker, chairman of dairy farmers’ interest group Nederlandse Melkveehouders Vakbond (NMV).
Government sources stated that the limit on cows per hectare had been part of the negotiations since the start and are adamant about pushing the measure through.
”The grassland standard [measure] is part of the talks, but the last word has not yet been said on that,” one government source stated.
Besides the proposed cow limit, the accord also foresees the creation of a new unified sustainability standard to which all farmers will need to adhere, RTL Nieuws reported.
Furthermore, farmers will also be compensated for supplementary efforts to preserve nature on their farms, such as forest and grazing land management as well as efforts to preserve meadow birds.
Agriculture Minister Piet Adema (ChristenUnie/EPP) hopes that an intermediate agreement can be reached during negotiations between the ministry and farmers’ representatives on Wednesday (17 May).
”We are aiming for a scenario […] where parties are in broad agreement,” a ministry spokesperson stated. ”We are really working day and night to make sure there is an agreement where there is a good earning model for farmers and that is also good for water, air, and soil quality.”
(Benedikt Stöckl | EURACTIV.com)
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