After many hours of negotiation, the Flemish Government and farmers representatives reached an agreement on measures to help Flemish agriculture. The Flemish Prime Minister Jan Jambon is now calling on farmers “to stop protesting and lift the blockades”. Farmers’ representatives meanwhile believe that they have an agreement that they can put before their rank and file. The agreement between the Flemish Government and the farming associations Boerenbond, Algemeen Boerensyndicaat (ABS) and Groene Kring was reached at around 11:30pm on Thursday evening.
Flemish Government reaches agreement with farmers and calls on them to lift their blockades
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It has been agreed that the Flemish authorities won’t purchase any more agricultural land until 1 October. They are exceptions though, for example if the land is being purchased for work that is in the public interest and for land that is in Special Protection Zones.
The latter exception proved to be a bone of contention and it took several hours of intense negotiation to reach agreement on it.
Working party
A working party will also be set up that will include representatives from agriculture, the nature protection lobby and industry to look into the issue of land use in Flanders.
It will publish an initial report must by 1 July 2024. That working party will be chaired by the Flemish Prime Minister Jambon (nationalist).
Manure and nitrogen
Regarding manure, it was agreed the ban on fertilisers on land within the VEN (Flemish Ecological Network) zone will be removed from the environment impact report in the new Manure Action Plan. The VEN zone is made up of land that is of a high ecological value.
With regard to nitrogen emissions no substantively changes to the previously agreement reached by the parties that make up the Flemish coalition. However, it was agreed that the Flemish government will start straight away to examine how a switch can be made from a deposition to an emission model for nitrogen.
Strategic consultative committee for agriculture
Using the Construction Consultative Committee (VBOC) and the Industry Forum as an example, it has been decided to set up a new strategic consultative committee for agriculture.
It was also agreed that there will also be a reduction in the administrative burden. The Manure Bank Declaration will be simplified, calendar farming (a calendar that requires farmers to fertilise and harvest at certain times) will be relaxed and there will be fewer fines issued to those that break the rules.