Dutch Plan for Safe Farming Is Proposed
THE HAGUE — The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday proposed a bold plan that aims to make farming less harmful to the environment by halving the use of pesticides and insecticides within 10 years.
Agriculture Minister Gerrit Braks said he wanted to steer Dutch farming away from the use of chemical fertilizers toward organic, ecologically friendly techniques.
He said the use of some chemicals will be taxed, and the more toxic ones will be banned.
The government plans to double spending on ecologically safe agriculture to $215 million a year in the next five years. The cost to farmers will rise to $550 million a year.
Farming and environment groups have been given three months to study the plan. It will be presented to Parliament after Sept. 6 elections, but it is unlikely that legislators will formally discuss the plan before next year.
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