The parties that are discussing the agricultural agreement hope to reach an agreement by mid-May. They said this in a press conference in Hierden. Yesterday and today, two days of negotiations were scheduled in which about fifty parties, including the ministry, agricultural organizations and nature management, tried to reach an agreement.
The parties said that these are difficult talks, but that there is still confidence in an agreement. “The talks are at the cutting edge and sometimes very tough. We are sometimes really far apart, but everyone sees the importance of the agreement,” says Agriculture Minister Adema. “We will continue to talk in the near future.”
According to the agricultural and horticultural organization LTO, the negotiations are going quite well, but too many rounds are being made. “A concrete document must now be put on the table. It is the cabinet’s turn,” says chairman Sjaak van der Tak. The organization wants to have clarity about the final text of the agricultural agreement in the week of May 8.
Minister Adema is now also focusing on that date. “Is it easy? No. Will we get out? I hope so and expect it too. The parties at the table are motivated, so it’s certainly not clapped. I’m still confident.” According to the parties at the table, the biggest bottlenecks in the negotiations are mainly agricultural land use, what the chain parties will do, the farmer’s earnings model and manure.
Cabinet talks to organizations
The government has been talking to several organizations about the future of farmers since December. In order to protect and restore nature, the government wants to have significantly reduced nitrogen precipitation by 2030. Some 3,000 ‘peak loaders’ must also receive an offer in exchange for reducing their emissions.
At the same time, the cabinet wants to come up with a plan for farmers who want to improve sustainability or relocate. The agricultural agreement must form the basis for this. The cabinet previously announced that it would come up with its own policy if necessary if it were not possible to reach an agreement.
Tough negotiations
Negotiations on the agricultural agreement have been going smoothly for months. Last month, farmers’ interest organization Agractie, for example, withdrew from the consultations on the agreement.
Last year Henk Staghouwer resigned as Minister of Agriculture. He was unable to make a concrete plan for the future of agriculture. He was succeeded by Piet Adema, who decided on the advice of Johan Remkes to sit down with all parties involved.
- Rutte persists in ‘accelerating’ nitrogen, large part of the opposition loses confidence
- Parliamentary debate makes the nitrogen gap between government parties clear
- Agractie is ‘for now’ withdrawing from negotiations on the Agricultural Agreement
