However, both Dutch Minister of Agriculture Piet Adema and many of his EU counterparts were still very cautious on Monday in Brussels. They fear various new obligations.
At their monthly EU Agriculture Council, many ministers made clear that the soil condition in their EU countries is too diverse to establish a single methodology. They pointed to examples such as the clay soils of coastal countries or the Polynesian and Caribbean rocky islands of European overseas territories.
Other land managers and landscape organizations, on the other hand, urge binding agreements, including fines for soil polluters.
In response to remarks from parliamentary factions, Adema had earlier stated âthat we need to meet the needs of the soil. That means we must properly feed and care for the soil rather than just feeding and caring for the cropâ.
After the meeting, he denied that this implied a shift toward more organic farming and less chemistry in agriculture and horticulture. âI do not know a farmer who does not have an eye for healthy soil, especially combined with a healthy cropâ.
Adema emphasized the importance of clean and healthy soil. âThat produces more crops, requires less fertilizer or other inputs, and also leads to less soil pollution and less leaching of substancesâ.
Brussels wants to start with a light version of a directive that first requires compulsory semi-annual soil tests, leading to a system of soil registration and clean soil certificates. This can then be combined with European subsidies for landowners and agricultural users. This clean soil philosophy is part of the Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategies already presented in 2020.
Environment Commissioner Virginijus SinkeviÄius pointed out that the current decline in soil condition also leads to significant damage and economic losses, especially in agriculture. He said the EU wants to use satellite technology to monitor soil condition.
According to him, there are already more than 3 million known polluted sites in the EU, while in recent years not all EU countries have even conducted intensive measurements and record-keeping.