The Provincial Executive (GS) proposes to the Provincial Council (PS) to translate the new nitrogen approach for livestock farms into the Environmental Regulation. With this, the Province of North Brabant takes the next step in legally and practically implementing the change in course in the nitrogen approach. The province consciously chooses an approach that places nature restoration at its core and also takes into account the investment capacity of entrepreneurs. This makes the approach sustainable and feasible and contributes to the goal of ‘Keeping Brabant open’.
At the end of October 2025, the province presented a new approach to reduce nitrogen emissions from livestock farms that aligns with the agricultural component of IPO, VNG, Union of Water Boards, NAJK, and LTO. In this approach, farmers can suffice with a notification instead of a permit application, provided they take measures that demonstrably contribute to nature restoration. The province records these measures in an amendment to the environmental permit or, if none exists, in a customized decision.
The approach aligns with the policy line established by the province in 2017: farmers must modernize their stables after 15 years (for pen animals) or 20 years (for cattle and dairy cattle) or adjust their operations (diversification or nature-inclusive). This links nitrogen reduction to regular investment moments. This way, nitrogen emissions can actually decrease, contributing to the goal of ‘Keeping Brabant open.’ In various broad consultations, the province has spoken with nature and agricultural partners about this new nitrogen approach.
Standards per animal category
GS propose to set a nitrogen reduction standard per animal category when modernizing stables. For dairy farms, a distinction is made between larger and smaller farms. The smallest 25% of farms within the dairy sector receive a lower reduction requirement because they have less investment capacity. This creates an approach that does justice to differences within the sector.
Furthermore, the province establishes a menu of permitted systems and measures to achieve nitrogen reduction. These nitrogen standards and the measures chosen by the farmer form the basis for the amendment of the permit or the customized decision that farmers receive after reporting their measures.
Feasibility and sustainability
The province expects that the livestock sector will achieve the intended average reduction of 46% compared to 2019 with this approach. This is calculated by consultancy Pouderoyen Tonnaer. The approach represents an important step to enable nature restoration, which will also contribute to eventually enabling economic developments such as housing, infrastructure, and economic developments in the agricultural sector.
The proposed standards are economically feasible for the majority of the sector. This is evident from an analysis by Connecting Agri & Food. GS have obtained legal advice on the proposed approach because it is new and thus has not been experienced before.
The GS proposal will be discussed for decision-making in the Provincial Council in December 2025. If approved, the amended Environmental Regulation will come into effect in 2026.
