The biggest challenges for the agricultural sector in the Netherlands: nitrogen and climate
There are no easy solutions The climate objectives are having a major impact on Dutch agriculture and livestock farming. Is there a way to reach all the planned objectives and keep offering the agricultural sector perspective for the future? The new cabinet is facing a challenge.
In the run-up to the parliamentary elections in March, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving - abbr. PBL) investigated a series of possible measures with a view to future agricultural and food policy. The Institute for Strategic Policy Analyses came to a clear conclusion. There are no measures that score well on all the goals for the environment, economy and social aspects that, at the same time, are easy to achieve. This basically means there isn't any ‘low-hanging fruit’ to be harvested in terms of promising agricultural and food policy, according to the PBL. The current challenges – climate change, the nitrogen problem and the coronavirus crisis – are colossal and complex. An evident need exists to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, although this should not be at the expense of food production for the still growing world population.
“It's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work” The PBL assessed 27 possible measures for future policy on effectiveness, feasibility and legal legitimacy, such as handling raw materials more efficiently. One possible scenario is to stimulate replacing artificial fertilizers by high-quality manure processing products. In this context, the PBL touched on the option of introducing a levy on artificial fertilizers. It also pointed
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out the disadvantages this poses regarding the competitiveness of Dutch agriculture if this is not a Europe-wide levy. Uncertainty The Dutch Agriculture and Horticulture Organization (LTO Nederland) acknowledges the challenges the industry is facing. “It's fantastic to see so much entrepreneurship in our sector, but these are difficult times for our farmers and market gardeners,” said chairman Sjaak van der Tak when he took office at the start of this year. “The margins are thin, the regulatory burden is high and the political-social debate is getting fiercer. There is great uncertainty in various policies, from nitrogen to crop protection. And this brings with it uncertainty about the future, about the space we have to do business, for the company, for the next generation. That makes it all the more important to work together on financially healthy companies, on responsible entrepreneurship and on public support.”
