Sustainable intensive livestock farming

• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Response of the Ministers

We have audited intensive livestock farming in the Netherlands. The Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and the Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) wish to make the sector more sustainable: ecologically (less environmental impact), socially (improved living standards for hens, pigs and calves) and economically (more competitive). We assessed the Ministers' success in achieving these ambitions on the basis of three factors: animal welfare, ammonia discharges from manure and innovation in the sector.

Conclusions

It is uncertain whether the Minister of LNV will achieve her ambitions for intensive livestock farming within the planned deadline. Some progress has been made in certain areas but the Minister is not making the most of the instruments available to improve the sector. As the Minister also makes too few evaluations, the effectiveness of those instruments that are used is uncertain.

With regard to animal welfare, there has been some improvement in the housing of livestock since the 1990s. This is due not so much to Dutch policy but chiefly to the introduction of stricter European rules. Dutch legislation and regulations on animal 'interventions' (beak trimming, tail docking, fitting of identification chips) have been repeatedly postponed. Compliance with the applicable rules, moreover, is not checked intensively. With regard to reducing ammonia discharges, the Ministers of VROM and LNV have made progress since 1990. Ammonia discharges from agriculture have been reduced by half. The European goal for 2010 is within reach. The European goals for the maximum nitrogen deposition from ammonia in vulnerable nature areas (as a result of the excessive discharge of ammonia), however, have not yet been achieved. They will probably not be met in the near future either. Vulnerable natures areas in the Netherlands are therefore not yet adequately protected. One concern is that there is still too much nitrogen deposition in protected nature areas. This is because a relatively high number of intensive livestock farms are located in such areas. There is a risk of a further increase in ammonia discharges from the dairy cattle industry if European milk quotas are relaxed in the future. The Minister of LNV believes subsidising innovative investments in the intensive livestock farming sector is an appropriate means to facilitate the transition to sustainable production methods. These subsidies are having an effect but it has never been evaluated. Furthermore, the Minister has not actively disseminated the results of successful subsidised projects within the sector.

Recommendations

The Minister of LNV should periodically evaluate animal welfare and the instruments used to improve it. The Minister should also ensure that compliance with animal welfare rules is better monitored and checked. An 'animal welfare index' should be compiled as soon as possible so that information on animal welfare can be provided on meat packaging.

In consultation with the sector, the Ministers of LNV and VROM should apply new techniques to reduce ammonia discharges from dairy cattle. One option would be to replace cowsheds. The efficient use of air scrubbers is also needed. Subsidies for these measures could be made subject to farm location. In addition, a location-based policy is needed to reduce nitrogen deposition in vulnerable nature areas as quickly as possible. Finally, the Minister of LNV should regularly check the results of subsidies granted for innovations in the sector.

Response of the Ministers

The Minister of LNV is aware of the importance of checking and enforcing animal welfare rules. She thinks a practical animal welfare index will not be developed before 2009. The Ministers of LNV and VROM will consult the sector to find new measures and techniques to reduce ammonia discharges from dairy cattle. The subsidy for air scrubbers is now linked to farm location. A location-based policy will also be introduced, in the first instance for Natura 2000 areas. The Minister of LNV will carry out an evaluation of the extent to which innovations can be disseminated within the sector and of the impact of innovations on sustainability.