ANP extension
ANNOUNCEMENTS•
The Schiphol Group has taken over several farmers for extra nitrogen space, both for Schiphol Airport itself and for Lelystad Airport. This was confirmed by a spokesman for the group after reporting on NRC extension. This way of buying is controversial, because the government wants the right to buy first.
For Schiphol, near Amsterdam, it would affect a number of farmers in the provinces of North Holland, South Holland and Utrecht. For Lelystad airport it would affect fewer than ten farmers, around the Naardermeer and on the Veluwe.
It was not yet known that the Schiphol Group had reached an agreement with the farmers. Previously it was only rumored that Schiphol is exploring all options to get its emissions under control.
In 2021, Schiphol indicated that it did not intend to purchase any farms within a 25 kilometer radius around the airport. Chief Financial Officer Robert Carsouw assured that then to dozens of farmers who had come to Schiphol from all over the country to take action.
Nitrogen intermediaries
At present, Schiphol is not compliant with nitrogen regulations. To continue to exist, the airport needs a natural permit. For this, nitrogen emissions must be significantly reduced. A difficult question and within the cabinet there are major concerns. Because of the natural permit, ranchers have been approached about nitrogen rights, a Schiphol Group spokesman told the paper. “Those same farmers have made it known that they are open to that.”
According to NRC, the acquisition was arranged through nitrogen brokers, intermediary firms that trade between farms and parties in need of nitrogen clearances. It is not known how much nitrogen space the acquisition generated or how much it cost the Schiphol Group.
The purchase of farms by companies and government services is controversial. The government wants to take over the farmers obtain the right of first purchase. This gives the government more control over how nitrogen space is allocated: so it looks at where the space is most needed.
