Published on: 14 November 2025

Better pay for farmers helps them and nature 

Thanks to the additional funding, farmers (agricultural producers) receive better pay when they help support nature. The rates have been recalculated, resulting in farmers earning on average 10 to 20% more. This provides them with a better income and makes it more attractive to take nature and landscape into account in their work. This is necessary, because it gives nature in agricultural areas a chance to recover and strengthen. 

Farmers can contribute a lot to nature 

For example, by: 

  • protecting and preserving meadow birds, such as the black-tailed godwit and the lapwing; 
  • creating a varied habitat where many plant and animal species feel at home; 
  • connecting natural areas; 
  • improving soil and water quality; 
  • maintaining landscape elements, such as rows of trees and ditches. 

Thanks to the compensation, birds get a better chance  

One of our key goals is to make agricultural areas more suitable for farmland birds, such as meadow birds. With the compensation, farmers can create shallow wet areas. These are rich in worms and leatherjackets, which are food for meadow birds. Farmers can also delay mowing in meadow areas until later in the season, so birds are not disturbed during the breeding period. They can protect nests, adjust ditch water levels, use rough manure, or avoid fertilizing altogether. Farmers can also sow herb-rich grassland to attract more insects (food for birds) and provide shelter from predators. 

Agricultural collectives ensure the right distribution 

Habitats of plants and animals are often larger than a single farm. That is why it is important to implement measures in the right proportions and at the right locations. The agricultural collectives help with this. These are cooperative groups of farmers for agricultural nature and landscape management. They consult with farmers about what fits within their business and consider the bigger picture. The collectives enter into 3-year contracts with farmers (2026 through 2028).  

Submit an application to a collective 

Are you a farmer and do you want to contribute to nature and landscape? Then submit an application to an agricultural collective.  

There are 3 collectives:  

For more information, you can contact them. The collectives can submit their applications to us until 14 December 2025.