The Netherlands: manure policy 2010 - 2013 and request for a derogation to the livestock manure limit of 170 kg N/ha per year for 2010-2013 dr. ir. Cindy van den Boom, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Drs. Renske van Tol, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment

Content Part I - Dutch manure policy 2010-2013 Land use and trends in agriculture Water quality Manure policy 2010-2013 Part II - Derogation request Developments in dairy farming Monitoring and water quality under dairy farms Derogation request Justification

Part I Dutch manure policy 2010-2013 Land use and trends in agriculture Water quality Manure policy 2010-2013

Soil type and land use

Land use in the Netherlands (x 1000 ha) 2004-2007 Grassland 988 Silage maize 225 Other arable crops 556 Horticulture 114 Total cultivated area 1883 Fallow land 23 Nature and forest areas 484 Other land use 986 Total non-cultivated area 1493 Total land surface 3376

Live stock numbers (millions)   1995 2000 2005 2007 Cattle 4.7 4.1 3.8 Pigs 14.4 13.1 11.3 11.7 Poultry 91.9 106.8 95.5 95.7 Sheep /goats 1.8 1.5 1.7

Average use of artificial N and P fertiliser on dairy and arable farms Dairy farms Arable farms Year N fertiliser P fertiliser Old system Kg/ha 2004 151,9 19,8 139,2 35,2 2005 146,4 20,6 133,5 37,7 New system 2006 128,2 10,8 130,7 28,8 2007* 127,3 7,9 128,4 23,8 * indicative figures

Trend of nitrogen and phosphorus surplus on the soil balance in agriculture Source: CBS-data

Trends in water quality

Nitrate in on-farm waters in the Netherlands (mg/l) 50 100 150 200 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 Concentration (mg/l) Sand regions Clay regions Peat regions Sand regions, standardised Clay regions,standardised

Nitrate concentration in groundwater at a depth of 5-15 m in the period 1984-2006

Nitrate concentration in drinking water production locations 1999-2006

Total nitrogen concentration in surface waters (mg/l)

Percentage of agricultural soils saturated with phosphate

Total phosphorus concentration in surface waters (mg/l)

Conclusions Nitrogen/nitrate On average, the 50 mg/l has already been reached on clay and peat soils On sandy soils there is a trend towards the 50 mg/l On the southern sandy and loessial soils the concentrations are still above average Phosphate A significant part of soils in the Netherlands contains high levels of phosphate Eutrophication of surface water is for a large part caused by P-leaching of P-saturated soils

Manure policy for 2010-2013 Basis is the policy in the 3rd Action Programme (2006-2009) Goal of the 4th action programme is: To reach the goal of 50 mg N/liter in a large part of the Netherlands; To reduce eutrophication To reach the goals of OSPAR

Policy on nitrogen The nitrate concentrations on sandy and loessial soils are still above the target concentrations The 4th Action Programme focuses on measures on sand and loess: Reduction of nitrogen standards for grassland, maize and arable crops sensitive to leaching Increase of the N efficiency coefficient of pig manure Stimulation of innovation

Reduction of nitrogen standards on sand and loess Gewas Sand/loess (kg N/ha) 2006 2009 2010 /2011 2012/2013 Grassland, including grazing 300 260 250 Grassland, only mowing 355 340 320 Maize on dairy farms 155 150 140 Besides, a further reduction on arable and horticultural crops that are sensitive to leaching is intended (5-10 kg N/ha)

Increased nitrogen efficiency N efficiency coëfficiënt of pig manure on sand and loess: 2006-2007 2008-2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Pig manure On sandy and loessial soils 60 % 65% 70 % 70%

Policy on phosphate Eutrophication of surface water is for a large part caused by P-leaching of P-saturated soils A significant part of soils in the Netherlands contain high levels of phosphate. Dutch aim is to take the following aspects into account: 1) Minimise leaching to surface waters 2) Agricultural needs New policy: differentiate the standards based on the saturation level of the soils

Phosphate: lower application standards 2006 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Grassland Soils with high phosphate levels 110 100 90 85 80 Phosphate-neutral soils 95 Soils with low levels of phosphate Arable land 95 (85) 75 70 65 55 50 60

Additional measures: a big step forward From the beginning of the 3rd Action Programme controlled manure transports (AGR/GPS technique) were obliged Further improvements in 4th Action Programme made by: A further increase of mandatory storage capacity for livestock manure: from 6 to 7 months Period for manure application shortened by circa one month

Additional measures – part 2 Only manure injection allowed on sandy soils, to prevent pollution swapping Stimulation of further innovation regarding use of fertilisers by rural development measures Research and knowledge spreading on innovative techniques, such as manure processing techniques

Part II – Derogation request Developments in dairy farming Monitoring and water quality under dairy farms Derogation request Justification

Developments in dairy farming Farm level 1998 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Grassland (ha) 37.5 38.8 39.1 40 41 45 Maize (ha) 7.3 8.2 7.9 8.8 8.9 7.8 Cows (number) 76 80 81 82 85 Young cattle (number) 63 59 56 58 57 Milk production (kg/cow) 7580 7503 7556 7532 7577 7893 Milk production (ton milk/ha) 12.8 12.9 13.2 13

National Monitoring Network on derogation farms Sand Loess Clay Peat Total Dairy farms 160 20 60 300 The monitoring data are linked to the mineral management data collected in the farm accountancy data network (LEI)

Nitrate concentrations on dairy farms

Derogation request Derogation similar to the current derogation for the Netherlands: Limit of 250 kg N/ha, only produced by grazing livestock Restricted to farms with at least 70% grassland Annual application by each farm Mandatory nitrogen management plan Monitoring and enforcement programme Current derogation granted approximately 24.000 farmers

Conditions to justify a new derogation under the Nitrates Directive High nitrogen uptake of both grassland and maize is possible when: There is a long growing season High precipitation High crop yields are realised The precondition is a nitrate concentration of less than 50 mg/l

Temperatures, monthly averages

Average precipitation and evapotranspiration on grassland

High crop yields 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Grass land Dry matter (ton/ha) 10.4 9.5 10.2 9.2 N (kg/ha) 310 276 313 281 265 Maize land 14.6 15.1 15.2 15.7 15.5 176 173 189 203

Justification: allowable amounts of nitrogen from animal manure In the Netherlands, higher levels of animal manure than the 170 kg N/ha can be applied on all soil types, without exceeding the nitrate concentration Scientific research shows that allowable amounts of animal manure (depending on soil type) are: Levels of up to 300 kg/ha on grassland and more Levels of 225-315 kg/ha on maize However, for precautionary reasons only levels up to 250 kg N/ha will be allowed

Derogation and phosphate standards Stricter phosphate standards can in some cases limit the application of animal manure. This will oblige some farmers to: Use low phosphate feed stuffs, and/or Reduce the use of artificial fertiliser, and/or manure separation and transport the solid fraction to other farms

Conclusions The environmental quality on dairy farms is still improving Due to the measures of the 3rd and 4th Action Programme the improvement will continue A derogation of 250 kg N/ha is acceptable, without exceeding the environmental goals