Agriculture Minister Adema seeks 6.7 billion euros for agricultural measures: leaked document

Agriculture Minister Adema thinks he needs 6.7 billion euros from the cabinet for the measures from the agricultural agreement. This is evident from a memorandum from the Ministry of Agriculture that is in the hands of NOS. The cabinet has not yet approved the amount. It first wants to be convinced of the effectiveness of the measures in the agricultural agreement and to see the calculations.

In addition to the 6.7 billion euros that Adema thinks it needs once, an estimated 600 million euros is structurally needed annually for so-called ‘ecosystem services’. These are ways in which farmers can manage nature themselves, for example by strengthening insect habitats, creating areas for certain bird species and managing ditches and ponds.

Although the talks about the agricultural agreement are still in full swing and the minister has yet to come to an agreement with the many parties involved, the leaked document does show what Adema has in mind. In addition to the above amounts, the document also shows a number of measures that have been or are being discussed, such as livestock standards.

For example, according to the memorandum, a plan is on the table to introduce a maximum number of cows per pasture in the long term. The standard mentioned in the document is “up to 0.35 hectares of grassland per livestock unit”. This means that approximately two cows per football field would be allowed.

The intention seems to be that this will result in fewer cows in grassland-poor areas and more maize land will be converted into grassland, which can be good for biodiversity and water quality. Incidentally, there is as yet no agreement with the other interlocutors on this. Particularly in the south of the country, where about 3.5 cows per football field are kept, there is a lot of resistance among farmers to this measure.

Other measures that are discussed, according to the document, are technical measures such as low-emission stables, adapting animal feed, fewer crop protection agents, more manure processing and low-emission spreading of manure, and measures such as raising the water level and sustainable soil management.

There is also still discussion about the production rights of farms that stop. For example, the question is whether the right to keep animals can in that case be transferred to someone other than immediate family members.

The document also states that Wageningen University assumes that the livestock sector must shrink by 20 to 30 percent, in addition to all measures from the agreement, to bring the climate, water and nitrogen targets within reach.

It is not yet clear in the document what ‘chain partners’ such as banks, supermarkets and animal feed producers contribute to the plans. It is known that these previously stalled talks have started again and that Adema has spoken with banks and supermarkets, among others. It is unclear whether they have made any commitments. The document does state that measures such as a tax on supermarket profits and standards for additives in animal feed are being considered.

Today, Minister Adema reacted with annoyance to the leaked parts of the talks, in response to questions from MPs. “I am incredibly disappointed that there is a leak. I don’t know where it came from, but it is bad because it is not helpful to the process,” he said. Adema refused to comment further, “because we are still negotiating. Everything is still in motion.”