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The EU wants to exchange at least some of the fertilizer imported from Russia into processed products from “homemade” animal feces and urine in order to reduce revenues to Moscow’s war machine.
Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen told journalists that fertilizer-based fertilizers reduce their dependence on imported chemical fertilizers and are cheaper than artificial equivalents that require more energy to produce. .
“The livestock sector can provide positive input to the circular economy. It is grown domestically, and does not have to come from outside, and is not based on high energy prices like gas,” he said. said. “We need to see opportunities (as a challenge) as well.”
Fertilizers and food waste can also be tapped on biogas as an alternative energy source. The EU is finally trying to cut all gas supplies from Russia, once its biggest supplier.
Russia effectively continues to export gas through fertilizer production, the EU fertilizer industry claims. Large amounts of gas are required to produce ammonia, which is used in chemical fertilizers. Also, due to the high gas prices, domestic fertilizers do not have a competitive job.
Last month, the European Commission proposed tariffs on Russian fertilizer imports. However, some member states are reluctant to support farmers as they have to pay more for alternatives.
Russia has won 30% of the EU’s imported fertilizer market from 17% in the second half of 2022. Other large suppliers include Morocco and Egypt. According to Eurostat, farmers purchased 5.7 million tonnes worth 19 billion euros from Russia in 2024.
According to a study published by Elsevier, Journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling by Dutch and Belgian scholars, the use of “nitrogen recovered from fertilizer” reduces the cost of fertilizer by nearly 5% in livestock areas.
Brussels limits how much fertilizer can be spread across the fields as its high nitrogen content flows into the water course. It promotes the growth of some algae and invasive plant species, and congested other plants, and therefore animals that rely on them.
The Netherlands, a small country with intensive livestock holdings, was forced by a court ruling to reduce its use. The proposal to cull and force farms to purchase farms spread across Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 caused an agricultural rebellion.
Farmers with tractors across the continent have broken into Brussels several times, spraying police and EU buildings with fertilizer.
The committee is expected to approve this year the use of railways that will be handled to reduce nitrogen content after heavy lobbying by the Dutch government.
The committee’s “Vision of Agriculture” paper, published Wednesday, says it will “become a “burning” of the environment and climate. Treatment and its efficient use.”
“More effective nutrient management will prevent agriculture in the future and ensure a level playing field,” said Jessica Rosswall, the Environmental Commissioner responsible for reforming the Nitrate Directive, which limits nitrogen emissions. It is essential to manage nutrients more effectively. I have worked with member states to build a majority for a balanced treatment of responsibility and to tackle the hot spots of contamination. We exchange it with relevant countries and stakeholders.”
Agriculture mainly involves the release of methane by cattle and other animals, winds burning and wind breaking, and 10% of EU greenhouse gas emissions from natural and artificial fertilizers, over 10% of EU greenhouse gas emissions from natural and artificial fertilizers. That’s what contributes.
Such agricultural emissions should be reduced by 40% from the 2005 level by 2005 to achieve EU targets, but of course they are expected to decrease by 7%, the European Environment Agency says .
It is higher than 2005 in some countries, such as Ireland and Bulgaria.
The former Irish government discussed the ull of cattle while Denmark taxed livestock farmers.
However, Hansen said voluntary incentives are better than targets to reduce emissions. Beef diet can be exchanged to reduce methane output.
He also said that EU livestock herds are shrinking by about 1% a year.
“I think we’ll say we’ll be slower and we’ll reduce the proportion by member countries and reduce it… That’s not the path ahead.”
“We also have a responsibility to continue to feed the world to third countries. We see the agricultural community as part of the solution, not as part of the problem.”
The Green Group criticized the plan. The WWF said the committee “will not intensify efforts to reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which will take into account the deterioration of water quality (threat to our health) due to agriculture and nitrogen contamination. That’s what it is.”
“If there are fewer conditions and more incentives under general agricultural policies to support environmental standards, those incentives must be designed very well.”
