DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has visited a pioneering sustainable dairy farm in the Netherlands to examine cutting-edge techniques for reducing agricultural emissions. The trip comes just weeks after the launch of Northern Ireland’s new Farm Sustainability Payment and amid growing pressure to tackle the region’s severe ammonia pollution crisis.
Minister Muir travelled to Hoeven on 18 March 2026, the second day of a visit to Belgium and the Netherlands, where he toured Johan Molenaar’s 67-acre farm. The enterprise maintains a herd of 200 dairy cows and operates as part of the Network of Practical Farms—a collaboration of 100 Dutch dairy farms tackling climate challenges through practical, on-the-ground innovation.
Dutch Innovation on Display
The visit showcased how Dutch farmers are integrating technology and research to reduce ammonia, nitrogen and methane emissions without compromising economic viability. The Network of Practical Farms represents a collaborative model between dairy farmers and research companies, testing integrated approaches to environmental challenges.
“The Netherlands is a leading light in sustainable farming. In Hoeven, we heard from the Network of Practical Farms about the collaboration between dairy farmers and research companies on an integrated approach to addressing emissions in a feasible and affordable manner. Together they are future proofing Dutch dairy enterprises by addressing these issues and ensuring their economic viability while protecting animal welfare and improving both biodiversity and water quality,”
said Minister Muir.
The Minister also held discussions with Mark Roscam Abbing, the Dutch Director General for Rural Areas, Nature and Fisheries, at The Hague. The meeting covered farm sustainability and trade issues, with both parties exploring how to strengthen knowledge-sharing arrangements.
The Ammonia Challenge at Home
The fact-finding mission arrives at a critical juncture for Northern Ireland’s agriculture sector. The region produces 12% of UK ammonia emissions despite comprising only 6% of the land area, with agriculture responsible for 97% of these emissions. Under the proposed Ammonia Strategy, DAERA has committed to reducing agricultural ammonia emissions by at least 30% by 2030, based on 2020 levels.
“In Northern Ireland, we have a real challenge with levels of ammonia emissions which is why it’s valuable to learn from the Dutch experience of how to marry sustainable agricultural development with emissions reductions,”
said Muir.
The visit coincides with the recent opening of the Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) on 2 March 2026, which replaces the Farm Sustainability Transition Payment. The Sustainable Agriculture Programme, backed by £332.5 million annually, introduces conditionalities including the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme and the Bovine Genetics Project—measures designed to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
“The new Sustainable Agriculture Programme in Northern Ireland is key to helping our industry transition to a more sustainable farming sector through policy interventions designed to support a thriving and resilient farming and agri-food sector whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving water and air quality and promoting nature restoration,”
the Minister stated.
Trade Links and Future Cooperation
The Hague discussions also addressed the emerging UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, currently under negotiation for implementation by mid-2027. The agreement aims to eliminate regulatory certificates and routine border checks for most agri-food products, potentially easing trade friction for Northern Ireland’s export-driven sector.
“Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector has long had ties with the Netherlands and it’s been good to explore with Mark Roscam Abbing how we can further enrich our relationship by sharing knowledge and expertise on sustainable farming. We very much value the relationship we have forged with the Dutch Government and look forward to further developing trade links under the emerging SPS agri-food and drink arrangements between the UK and the EU,”
said Minister Muir.
Questions Remain Over Implementation
While the visit highlights valuable international best practice, several gaps remain in translating Dutch innovation to Northern Ireland’s context. The press release offers no specific commitments to adopt particular Dutch technologies, nor does it address the capital costs required for similar infrastructure. This is particularly relevant given that Northern Ireland’s new £40 million farm capital grant scheme offers maximum grants of £25,000 at 40% rates—sums that may prove insufficient for comprehensive slurry management overhauls.
Additionally, the visit raises questions about scalability. The Dutch Network operates within a different agricultural structure and regulatory framework, including mandatory low-emission slurry spreading requirements that Northern Ireland has only proposed—not enacted—for 2030.
Key questions arising from the visit include:
- Will the collaborative Dutch model of farmer-researcher partnerships require new institutional structures in Northern Ireland, or can existing advisory services adapt to deliver similar integrated support?
- How will the UK-EU SPS agreement specifically address ammonia reduction technologies—will there be mutual recognition of environmental standards or simply trade facilitation?
- Given that Northern Ireland’s ammonia emissions continue to rise while Dutch emissions fall, what timeline does DAERA envisage for closing this gap, and will the 30% reduction target by 2030 require mandatory rather than voluntary measures?
- Can the economic viability demonstrated by Dutch farms be replicated in Northern Ireland’s market conditions, particularly given ongoing uncertainty around post-Brexit trade arrangements and input costs?
The Minister’s visit concludes as stakeholders await further details on how lessons from the Netherlands will inform the final Ammonia Strategy and the implementation of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme’s conditionalities. With the UK-EU SPS negotiations ongoing and Northern Ireland’s first Climate Action Plan under development, the coming months will reveal whether international study trips translate into measurable domestic policy shifts.