The Netherlands will gain 2,000 more biodiverse fields this autumn

The Netherlands will gain two thousand more biodiverse fields this autumn. Recently, four hundred arable farmers can receive a significant discount on seed mixtures that allow them to save fertilizer (nitrogen and CO2), make the soil healthier and return more biodiversity to the land. The 1001ha campaign of species-rich green manure mixtures from LTO and Urgenda raises money from provinces, municipalities and citizens and converts it into a discount for farmers. In 2022 and 2023, 240 arable farmers sowed 1,250 hectares. Green manures or catch crops are sown after harvest to protect the soil against sun, rain and wind. Green manures or catch crops They are crops that the farmer sows after harvest to cover the soil over the winter and keep the soil active. Mixtures with leguminous plants such as clover, vetch or lupine are slightly more expensive to purchase and are still relatively unknown to arable farmers, but they fix nitrogen from the air, which can save fertilizer and CO2. ...