Bad Adema evaluation: farmers are allowed to fertilize less land

Adema returned urgently from Berlin today because the European Commission believes that the Netherlands is not doing enough to improve water quality this year. The cabinet discussed the issue today.

Estimation error

The result is that from March 1, farmers will have to build buffer strips near ditches and canals where manure cannot be applied. In December, Adema indicated that this should not be done before next year.

Adema now claims that the exception authorized by the Netherlands was “an error in judgement”. This is a major setback for farmers. They have a lower yield due to less fertilization. In addition, they must dispose of the manure they are no longer allowed to use. It also means higher costs.

Special crops

Buffer strips should prevent manure spread on the ground from quickly ending up in ditches and canals. Special crops that capture nitrogen and phosphate must also be planted on these buffer strips. They therefore depend on the land that farmers can use for their commercial activities.

When the agreements were reached, the farmers had already prepared their business plan for this year. Setting up buffer strips and planting catch crops would be a huge problem for them. It is therefore assumed that it will be introduced in 2024.

Farmers are furious

Bart Kemp from the farmers’ organization Agractie is furious:

“It is inconceivable that farmers are once again in danger of being bullied in Brussels. It is time for Minister Adema to take a stand against Brussels coercion and for the cabinet to keep the promises made to farmers. Main table of the deal in Zaltbommel, “We’re cracking nuts on this one. There’s no point in long-term negotiations if short-term issues aren’t resolved and farmers on all sides are cheated. “

Frits Wester: “A considerable miscalculation on the part of Minister Adema”

According to political journalist Frits Wester, this is a major setback. “Minister Adema made a serious miscalculation by giving farmers too much space and time to spread manure. He thought there was another possibility to give farmers additional space. Brussels has now put a That space doesn’t exist and it was a miscalculation, but one that the House of Representatives also put pressure on.”