Netherlands: Zeeland is competing with the goose agreement

Policy making is up to the Provincial Council, but according to Nielen the council wants to reduce both the increasing damage to crops and the damage burden that ultimately ends up on the province's plate. 'All geese that may be chased or chased must be chased or chased.' This will sound like music to the ears of many Zeeland arable farmers. For example, Kees Hanse from Zierikzee, who is currently experiencing a lot of problems with barnacle geese in winter barley. "And for this they completely ate the winter wheat," he says. 'Barley is all about seed multiplication, so I can no longer sow spring grain through it. The damage will become apparent during the final appraisal in the summer," said the arable farmer. Increased damage Hanse watches with dismay as the nuisance and damage increases every year. 'This year there are a striking number of barnacle and brent geese. Because you are not even allowed to chase away those species because they are in winter dormancy, I can only watch ...