Minister Femke Wiersma: “When livestock farmers decide themselves that they want to stop, for example because they have no business succession, a voluntary termination scheme can help. I find it important that we as a government support farmers in a good way, with a generous scheme but also with personal guidance during the process.”
The voluntary termination scheme for livestock farming locations (Vbr) is a generous subsidy scheme for the termination of livestock farming locations with dairy cattle, pigs, poultry, veal calves, other cattle, goats, meat ducks and rabbits. The scheme resembles the existing voluntary termination schemes (the Lbv schemes). What is different is that applications for the Vbr will be assessed in two rounds. Livestock farming locations within a strip of 1000 meters around overloaded Natura 2000 areas can claim the subsidy with priority. If there is still budget left, livestock farming locations outside this strip can also claim the subsidy, but with different compensations.
By giving priority in subsidy granting to livestock farming locations near overloaded nature areas, the scheme specifically contributes to reducing nitrogen deposition and further advancing permit granting. Also, farmers within the 1000 meter strip, given the urgency of the nitrogen problem, are offered a higher compensation. The cabinet wants to generously support entrepreneurs who voluntarily want to stop, and therefore chooses a percentage of 110% (within 1000 meters N2000) and 100% (outside 1000 meters N2000).
| For livestock farming locations located within a strip of 1000 meters around overloaded N2000 areas: | For farmers located outside a strip of 1000 meters around overloaded N2000 areas: |
|---|---|
| Allocation based on order of application (first come, first serve) | Allocation of the subsidy is based on ranking according to nitrogen emissions (ranking of the amount of euro subsidy per kilogram ammonia emission) |
| Compensation of 110% for the loss in value of the stables (production capacity) | Compensation of 100% for the loss in value of the stables (production capacity) |
| Compensation of 100% for the production rights that the farmer must relinquish | Compensation of 100% for the production rights that the farmer must relinquish |
| A contribution to demolition costs of €45 per m2 stable area. |
The online consultation on the scheme started today and closes on Monday, February 9. Through the consultation, everyone can give feedback on the draft scheme.
For approval by the European Commission
The draft scheme will also be sent this week for pre-notification to the European Commission. The European Commission must determine whether the scheme constitutes permissible state aid. During the pre-notification, the Commission is (informally) consulted about the support intention and questions or uncertainties about the Vbr can be discussed. The aim of the pre-notification is to ensure that the formal notification can proceed faster afterwards. The scheme is also sent for advice to the Advisory Board on Regulatory Burden Testing in parallel with the pre-notification and the online consultation.
Next steps
After the consultation period, the responses received will be reviewed and it will be assessed whether the scheme needs to be adjusted. It is also possible that adjustments will be made to the scheme following the pre-notification. The scheme that goes into consultation today can therefore still be changed and is not yet final. Subsequently, the scheme will be submitted for approval to the European Commission via the formal notification procedure.
After approval by the European Commission, the scheme will be published and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) will prepare the opening of the scheme. The cabinet hopes that the scheme can be opened mid-2026 (but this depends, among other things, on the duration of the (pre)notification).