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Agriculture Minister Jaimi van Essen of D66 said he did not support the Agricultural Alliance’s alternative nitrogen plans. He made the position known during a conversation with the new agricultural collective, which responded with strong disappointment. Van Essen said the viability of rural areas and food production were under pressure.
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Agriculture Minister Jaimi van Essen rejected an alternative plan from farmers’ organisations to address nitrogen pollution. He maintained that the government’s new nitrogen plans remain in place despite farmers’ concerns.
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The Agriculture Alliance, comprising Agritie and representatives of dairy and poultry farmers, presented alternative nitrogen proposals in The Hague and sought talks with Minister Van Essen. It called for the withdrawal of the minister's June nitrogen plan and proposed changing permit rules so that only businesses close to overloaded nature areas, or only very large emitters, would require a nitrogen permit. The alliance also called for a reassessment of nature reserves and new management plans rather than direct involvement by farmers in nature restoration.
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Rimmer Mulder called on what he described as “thinking farmers” to speak out against people he characterized as alarmists. He said that farmers who acted wisely opposed the plans of Minister Van Essen, which were described as disastrous.
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North Brabant said five large poultry farms that risk losing their permits may be able to continue keeping chickens if they cut nitrogen emissions by 85%. The province said a second legal opinion indicated that the court ruling could be interpreted more broadly. The farms, the province and environmental groups are discussing plans to achieve the reduction; if they reach agreement, the environmental groups may withdraw their case.