Netherlands: Restriction on animal breeding in or near reserves

Holandia: ograniczenie hodowli zwierząt w rezerwatach lub ich pobliżu

The aim of the program is to protect heathlands, sandy soils or stream valleys.

According to the Commission, the Dutch provinces have designated areas for this purpose. These include heathlands, sandy soils, stream valleys and areas within and adjacent to Natura 2000 areas. The scheme is open to small and medium-sized livestock farmers who voluntarily abandon livestock farming in specific eligible areas.

Third program

The activity is considered eligible if the annual nitrogen emissions from the facility meet certain thresholds. This is to ensure that the decommissioning will have a sufficient positive impact on the environment. Deadweight loss (a situation where the funded project could have been implemented in whole or in part without the support of the grant) must also be avoided.

This is the third programme. Two existing aid programmes also aim to reduce nitrogen inputs into nature reserves. A total of almost €1.5 billion has been allocated for this purpose. However, livestock farmers can only take part in one of the three programmes.