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

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

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

4. Soil type and land use

5. Land use in the Netherlands (x 1000 ha)
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

6. 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

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

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

9. Trends in water quality

10. 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

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

12. Nitrate concentration in drinking water production locations 1999-2006

13. Total nitrogen concentration in surface waters (mg/l)

14. Percentage of agricultural soils saturated with phosphate

15. Total phosphorus concentration in surface waters (mg/l)

16. 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

17. Manure policy for
Basis is the policy in the 3rd Action Programme ( )
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

18. 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

19. 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)

20. Increased nitrogen efficiency
N efficiency coëfficiënt of pig manure on sand and loess:
2010
2011
2012
2013
Pig manure
On sandy and loessial soils
60 %
65%
70 %
70%

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

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

26. 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

27. 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)

28. Nitrate concentrations on dairy farms

29. 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 farmers

30. 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

31. Temperatures, monthly averages

32. Average precipitation and evapotranspiration on grassland

33. 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

34. 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 kg/ha on maize
However, for precautionary reasons only levels up to 250 kg N/ha will be allowed

35. 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

36. 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