Berlin
To reduce nitrate pollution in groundwater, new fertilization rules are being introduced for German farmers. The change in law that… Bundestag which is transmitted in the evening, is intended to provide the basis on which the manure data of agricultural companies can be checked and evaluated. According to the traffic light coalition, farmers who demonstrably do not pollute water bodies should benefit from this “monitoring” by being exempt from certain fertilization requirements. However, after the Bundestag, the Federal Council agree.
The background to the reform is ongoing disputes with the European Commission, which threatens Germany with fines due to high nitrate levels in groundwater. While Julia Verlinden of the Greens spoke of a “milestone in a sustainable agricultural policy”, CSU MP Max Straubinger complained about what he saw as unnecessary “bureaucracy” for farmers.
The Association of Municipal Corporations (VKU), whose members provide drinking water to around 90 percent of German residents, welcomed the parliament’s decision. “Only with a significant reduction in nitrate imports can we succeed in protecting our drinking water supplies in the long term,” explains VKU Vice-President Karsten Specht.
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