- Country: The Netherlands
- Environmental Objective(s): reduce ammonia pollution from nutrient losses
- Type(s) of Measure: Regulatory measure
Policy /
Nutrient Policy Phase III (1995 –
Agency / Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and EnvironmentRelevant Legislation / Ammonia Emission (Animal Housing) Decree, Ammonia and Livestock Farming Law, The Decree on the Use of Livestock Manure
Overall Objective / Reduce ammonia emissions from agriculture.
Delivery Mechanism / The Dutch ammonia policy consists of several regulations.
Regulations / (1) The Ammonia and Livestock Farming Law, (2002) regulates that on account of ammonia emissions, new livestock farms may no longer be established in
- vulnerable wooded and wildlife areas that form part of the national ecological network; or
- b) within a zone of 250 meters around such areas.
If a farmer expands his livestock operations with other animals, he must comply with a limit on emissions of ammonia. The emission limit for pig and poultry farms is based on the existing emission level adjusted to take account of the current state of technology. So the number of pigs (or poultry) and the state of technology on housing determine the emission ceiling for a specific farm. For dairy farms there is a less strict regime then for pig and poultry farms.
In practice this law ensures that emission levels from individual livestock farms around and in vulnerable areas (as defined before) will not increase and that the emission 'gains' made through application of the latest technology will not be nullified by an increase in the number of animals kept. Herds may be increased only if more advanced technology is applied.
(2) The Ammonia Emission (Animal Housing) Decree 2002) This Decree applies to every (pig, poultry and cow) farm in the Netherlands and not only the farms within vulnerable areas and the surrounding zones. The decree imposes maximum emission standards on the housing of animals in the Netherlands, to decrease the emission of ammonia in general in the Netherlands.
(3)The Decree on the Use of Livestock Manure prescribes
application methods that minimize emissions. On grassland, farmers must inject manure into the ground. On arable land,
farmers must inject manure into the ground or plough it in right away.
(4) From 1991, it was obligatory to roof over manure storage silos constructed after 1 June 1987, or to take measures equivalent to roofing.
(5) Implementation of the EU IPPC- and Habitat-directives will lead to additional measures to decrease the emissions of ammonia
Targets / - NEC-Directive of the EU: 128 kton emissions in 2010 (obligatory)
- Fourth environmental policy plan: 100 kton emission in 2010
When Applied / Since 1991, depending on separate regulation
Coverage/Eligibility / National and compulsory for all Dutch farmers.
Costs / For the farmer, the cost of animal manure disposal and storage on the average size dairy farm increased from €1,265 per farm in 1991 to €1,838 in 1995, while for the average pig farm they increased from €4,000 in 1991 to €8,205 in 1995. The total cost to the agricultural sector of regulations concerning manure disposal and storage was €146 million.
Participation/Results / Results: By 1995, P2O5 losses had been reduced by 25% compared to 1987; N losses had been reduced by 15% since 1985; and NH3 emissions decreased by 20% since 1980.
The reprocessing plants proved to be more costly than initially envisaged and created new environmental problems (e.g. transport and nuisance).
How is the Programme Monitored/Evaluated / Ammonia regulation: reflecting the difficulty in meeting the 2000 target, the fourth Environmental Policy Plan (2001) altered the reduction target for ammonia emissions to 120,000 tonnes by 2010, a level 75% less than the 1990 level or 45% of 1980 levels. However, ammonia emissions must be eliminated in and around the National Ecological Network.
Source/Further Information /
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Matrix Classification- Country: The Netherlands
- Environmental Objective(s): reduce water pollution from nutrient losses
- Type(s) of Measure: Regulatory requirements;Environmental taxes/charges; Technical assistance/extension
Policy /
Nutrient Policy Phase III (1995 –
Agency / Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and EnvironmentRelevant Legislation / Fertilizer Act 1986, Soil Protection Act 1986
Overall Objective / To achieve an equilibrium between the input and output of minerals in agriculture by reducing N and P2O5 losses to an environmentally acceptable level.
Delivery Mechanism / Dutch legislation and regulations concerning livestock manure and fertilizers comprises two interrelated systems:
1.A system to achieve an ecologically acceptable use of livestock manure and fertilizers. The cornerstone of this system of mineral levies is MINAS. In addition to MINAS there are laws and regulations that prohibit or legally require specific actions, such as a prohibition on the spreading of livestock manure in winter.
2.A system that imposes a ceiling on the production of manure. A system that regulates the use of livestock manure can only work in a situation in which the manure market is in balance. See elsewhere (next matrix) for explanation.
Regulatory requirements
To regulate the use of nutrients, farmers must enter into MINAS. This Minerals Accounting System is implemented to regulate sensible use of manure and fertilizers. (Reducing the amount of nitrogen and phosphate losses from farms to the environment). MINAS is directed at livestock manure and other organic fertilizers, as well as chemical fertilizer. MINAS is based on farm-level minerals balance sheets: the input of minerals must not exceed output, plus a permitted loss.
Environmental taxes/charges
Restrictive levies on N and P2O5 surpluses above a surplus level per hectare were introduced from the beginning of 1998 as part of MINAS. Overtime the admissible surplus levels were tightened and the levy rates increased. The current levies are prohibitive.
Information/demonstration
In order to support farmers with achieving compliance on the MINAS loss standards a demonstration and information programme has been set up to disseminate knowledge on this among farmers. The Dutch cabinet has spent for this a budget of ca. €70million in 4 years.
Targets / The targets for the loss standards of MINAS are to comply with the standard of 50 mg NO3/liter (upper) groundwater and to prevent eutrophication of the surface water.
When Applied / -MINAS was introduced in 3stages. For 1998 and 1999, it was only compulsory for all livestock farms with more than 2.5LU per ha (about three-quarters of dairy farms and nearly all pig and poultry farms). For 2000 it was compulsory for all livestock farms. And from 2001 all farms (including arable and horticultural farms) had to participate.
-Manure disposal contracts are in place since 2002.
-Manure production rights are in place since 1987
Coverage/Eligibility / National and compulsory for all Dutch farmers.
Costs / Not possible to give an indication of the costs of the whole policy. However it can be stated that the costs of manure policy for farmers and government are high in the Netherlands in comparison with other EU Member States. This is due to the intensive character of the Dutch agriculture, for which strict regulation and monitoring is needed to safeguard environmental protection.
Participation/Results / The use of nutrients from manure and chemical fertilizers in the Dutch agriculture decreased significantly over the last ten years. An independent evaluation of the Manure in 2002 showed a significant decrease of the burden to the environment by nutrients. With the policy as planned, compliance with the 50mg/l nitrate of the Nitrate Directive will be achieved except on the dry sandy soils (which are extra vulnerable to leaching).
How is the Programme Monitored/Evaluated / Monitoring compliance: each year every farmer is checked on compliance with the admissible manure production and with the admissible MINAS surplus levels.
Monitoring environmental effects: a widespread and intensive network has been established that measures the environmental effects of the manure policy. There are also other monitoring schemes and several pilot studies.
Source/Further Information /
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Matrix Classification- Country: The Netherlands
- Environmental Objective(s): Reduce water pollution from nutrient losses
- Type(s) of Measure: Tradable right; Regulatory requirements
Policy / Manure production rights, poultry rights and pig rights (restructuring of the pig sector)
Manure disposal contracts
Agency / Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment.
Relevant Legislation / Fertilizer Act 1986, Interim Law for the Restriction of Pig and Poultry Farms November 1984, Pig Production Restructuring Act 1998.
Overall Objective / To limit and reduce the number of livestock numbers and hence the corresponding manure production (and excess), so as alleviate the environmental impact. Equilibrium on the manure market is needed for a good operation of a regulation for the use of livestock manure (MINAS).
Delivery Mechanism / Two systems are in place to control livestock manure production. A system of manure production rights has been in place since 1987. From 2002 onwards, it is supplemented by a system of manure disposal contracts.
Tradable rights and buying up scheme / Under the Fertilizer Act, each farm was ascribed in 1987 a manure reference amount, expressed in kg phosphate, determined by the multiplying the number of animals held on 31December 1986 by a standard coefficient of manure production per animal species. These animal specific standards were calculated as the difference between phosphate supply (in feeds, animals, fertilizers) and phosphate removed (in products). It is illegal for a farmer to produce more than this amount of phosphate. However these rights are tradable among farmers.
The system of manure production rights was for the pig and poultry sector replaced by a system of animal production rights. For the other sectors manure production rights are still in place. Hence in 1998 pig production rights were set up in 2000 poultry production rights. These were based on the average number of pigs/poultry in respectively 1995 or 1996 (pig), respectively in 1995, 1996 and 1997 (poultry). Manure production rights not used in these reference years were withdrawn.
Pig and poultry production rights and manure production rights can be traded between farmers. However, farmers in the south and east regions where pig and poultry farming is concentrated cannot buy pig and poultry production rights from farmers in other regions. Farmers outside the South and East can only buy pig and poultry production rights and manure production rights if strict environmental conditions are met. In 1998 pig production rights were reduced by 10% for each farm.
If a pig or poultry farmer wants to end his farm and he cannot find a buyer, the government will buy the quotas at the market value. This buying up scheme was applied in 2000 and 2001.
Manure disposal contracts / The production of livestock manure is limited by the amount of land available to the farm to deposit the manure. If a farmer has more manure than land he must arrange a contract with another farmer to dispose excess manure. The manure contracts system permits farmers to keep livestock only as far as they can guarantee in advance that the manure produced can be placed in an environmentally acceptable way.
Targets / -Manure disposal contracts: national equilibrium on the manure market.
-Tradable rights: no extension of manure production, 10% less pigs, and reduction of manure production by 27 million kg phosphate in 2002.
When Applied / Manure production rights, pig and poultry production rights are still in place, but buying up scheme has been ended.
Manure disposal contracts are in place since 2002
Coverage/Eligibility / National and compulsory. Rights are in place for most types of animals producing manure.
Costs / In order to reduce the livestock numbers and the corresponding manure excess, the Dutch cabinet reserved the last few years €320million. In addition to this approach, the provinces guarantee €500million for demolishing stables. Hence in total more than €800million has been spent on the structural reduction of the manure production.
Costs related to manure disposal contracts are not known yet.
Participation/Results / See costs and targets (which have been achieved)
How is the Programme Monitored/Evaluated / Once per two years (2002, 2004, etc.) by the Environmental Planning Office of Research for Man and Environment (RIVM)
Source/Further Information /
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Matrix Classification- Country: The Netherlands
- Environmental Objective(s):reduce water pollution
- Type(s) of Measure: regulatory requirements
Policy / Regulation of pesticides
Agency / Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Relevant Legislation / Pesticides Act 1962
Overall Objective / To regulate the approval and use of pesticides.
Delivery Mechanism / A pesticide may only be stored, used or placed on the market after it has been evaluated for damaging side effects on humans, animals, plants and the environment. A series of regulations issued under the Act lay down the various specific requirements, such as the permissible level of residues, safety instructions pertaining to the sale, storage and use, and the procedure to be followed in approving a pesticide. The competent authority for approving a pesticide is the CTB, the committee on approval of pesticides. Approval is granted for a maximum of ten years, though in most cases a shorter period is specified. The approval can be immediately withdrawn if it transpires that the pesticide does have damaging effects.
Targets
When Applied / 1962-
Coverage/Eligibility / National and compulsory.
Costs
Participation/Results
How Is the Programme Monitored/Evaluated / Enforcement of pesticide use is primarily the task of the General Inspection Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, though the regional inspectors of the Health Inspectorate and the Labour Inspectorate also have certain control responsibilities.
Source/Further Information / “The Netherlands”, in Agriculture and the Polluter Pays Principle: A study of six EC countries, D. Baldock and G. Bennett, Institute for European Environmental Policy, London, 1991.
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Matrix Classification- Country: The Netherlands
- Environmental Objective(s): protect natural resources: soil quality; reduce water pollution; reduce air pollution
- Type(s) of Measure: regulatory requirements; research/education
Policy / Multi-Year Crop Protection Plan (MYCPP)
(Bestuursovereenkomst Uitvoering Meerjarenplan Gewabescherming)
Agency / Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Relevant Legislation
Overall Objective / Reducing the dependence on crop protection products and the elimination of the harmful environmental effects caused by these products.
Delivery Mechanism / In 1991 the Government drew up the MYCPP to cover policy to the year 2000. A covenant was signed in 1993 between the national government, the agricultural business sector and the pesticides industry to meet the targets of the plan. The achievement of the plan's objectives became a joint responsibility of the three partners.
Research/education / Emphasis was given to research and education, which focused on encouraging wider use of healthy starting material (e.g. virus free bulbs), more resistance varieties and less input intensive production systems.
Regulations / This was supplemented with regulations such as the prohibition of spraying in or along ditches, and a ban on those pesticides considered the most harmful to the environment. In 1993 Plant Health Services division of the Ministry of Agriculture also introduced regulations to restrict soil disinfection to only once every four years and to require prior approval.
Targets / The MYCPP formulated reduction targets for 1995 and 2000 for both the volume of crop protection products used and their emissions to the environment, compared to average annual use or emissions in the 1984-88 period.
In terms of use, reduction targets were formulated by active ingredient and by agricultural sector. The largest reductions were required for soil disinfectants (-68% by 2000), while the use of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and other active ingredients were required to reduce by close to 40%, resulting in a total decrease in pesticide use by 50%.
By 2000, air emissions were required to be diminished by 50%, emissions to soils and groundwater by 75% and to surface water by 90%.
When Applied / 1991-2000
In 2001, this policy has been replaced with a new policy, A vision of healthy crop production.
Coverage/Eligibility / National and compulsory
Costs
Participation/Results / By 2000, total pesticide use had fallen by 46% since 1984-88 compared to the target reduction of 50%. The main reason for the failure to meet the target was the recent shift in production to crops that have higher pesticide use (e.g. potatoes, onions and flower bulbs). See section 3.2 of the Agricultural Economic Report of the Netherlands 2001 for pesticide usage figures, report available at The reduction was mainly achieved by cutting back on the use of soil sterilization chemicals: insecticide usage has not reduced and fungicide use has even increased. The plan did not lead to changes in growers’ habits or the discovery of alternatives.
How is the Programme Monitored/Evaluated
Source/Further Information / OECD Environmental Performance Review: Netherlands, Paris, 1995.
“Policy – Technology Interactions for Intensive Farming Systems: Some experiences from the Netherlands” by Floor Brouwer, in Adoption of Technologies for Sustainable Farming Systems: Wageningen Workshop Proceedings, OECD, 2001.
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Matrix Classification- Country: The Netherlands
- Environmental Objective(s): protect natural resources: soil quality; reduce water pollution; reduce air pollution
- Type(s) of Measure: environmental taxes/charges; labelling standards/certification; regulatory requirements; research/education
Policy / A vision of healthy crop production
Agency / Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Relevant Legislation
Overall Objective / Reduce the use of and the pollution from crop protection chemicals.
Delivery Mechanism
Every party it’s own responsibility / In addition to the “vision of healthy crop protection”, a covenant was signed by the relevant parties, the government, the agricultural business association (LTO), an environmental organization, the organization of waterworks, the pesticide industry, the pesticide trade and the water boards of the Netherlands.
Basic principle of the covenant is that every party has it’s own role, responsibility and tasks in attribute to achieving the targets.
Regulations / Regulation on the sale and use of pesticides will be tightened.
Research/education / Education will play a vital role in assisting farmers to meet certification requirements.
Environmental taxes/charges
Targets / By 2003, the environmental burden from pesticide use is to drop with 75% compared to the 1998 level.
By 2010, this burden is to drop with 95%.
When Applied / 2001-2010
Coverage/Eligibility / National – with the certification scheme being voluntary to begin with. It may become compulsory if not enough farmers take it up.
Costs / The whole project will cost €68 million over five years, of which €6 million is to assist the education of farmers.
Participation/Results
How is the Programme Monitored/Evaluated / There will be an interim evaluation in 2006.
Source/Further Information
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