The Council of State is clear. The Netherlands’ highest advisory body this week responded to the proposed composting approach. It is not enough to comply with water quality agreements with the European Commission. Surface and groundwater must be clean enough by 2027.

In the bill considered by the State Council, the government has lowered national and sectoral fertilizer ceilings. The gradual decline in livestock numbers has also begun. This is being done through a plan to skim off rights for pigs and poultry by 30 percent upon transfer and increase the current skim off rights for phosphates in dairy cows from 10 to 30 percent. The bill should come into effect in 2025.

Thus, almost a third of the current allowances are consumed, and this should ensure a proportionate decline in livestock and manure production. The Advisory Body questions whether this is sufficient. It therefore calls for additional measures to ensure that manure production falls and remains below the maximum limits by 2025.

Furthermore, considering manure production, the Council questions the relatively stricter scraping of pigs and poultry, without substantiating this choice. It can be concluded from this that the government aims for a rapid reduction of the pig and poultry herds in the Netherlands in favour of dairy farming.

The new government therefore has a duty to fulfil, and must work to substantiate the proposed skimming rates for each sector. On the other hand, the question is whether this contributes sufficiently to the decline in manure production. This also includes whether stricter rules are needed when it is clear that the targets have been met to prevent cold treatment.