Brussels calls this a worrying development for the sustainable agricultural sector in the Netherlands, as organic farmers are crucial for the preservation of biodiversity and environmentally friendly farming practices.
The Dutch approach to the distribution of EU agricultural subsidies has sparked concern among organic farmers and environmental activists. By earmarking EU subsidies for the organic sector, all agricultural funds available to the Netherlands could also go to conventional farming and horticulture
Organic farmers claim that organic farming methods are essential for preserving biodiversity and reducing agriculture's impact on the environment. Organic farms typically use less artificial fertilizer and pesticides.
By not allocating financial support specifically to organic farms, they fear that the sustainable agricultural sector will be neglected.
The Dutch government says the shift of subsidies to the entire sector is necessary to make agriculture more competitive in the globalized market. Large-scale agricultural companies often have higher production volumes and can therefore produce more efficiently. The Hague hopes this will strengthen the position of Dutch farmers on the world market.
This decision also comes at a time when the European Union is revising the Common Agricultural Policy. The new policy aims for a shift toward more sustainable farming practices and places greater emphasis on environmental and climate objectives. However, the Netherlands appears to deviate from this.
The European Union aims to make the agricultural sector more sustainable. Organic farming practices play an essential role in this. The fact that the Netherlands supports organic farmers less, while the EU wants to promote sustainability in agriculture, contradicts these goals.