Description

Maximum permissible herd numbers are linked to the utilised agricultural area per farm in order to protect ground- and surface and hence drinking water against nitrogen pollution and to reduce methane and ammonia emissions.

Requirements

• A properly functioning country-wide administration and monitoring system with access to the relevant information and sufficient technical and human capacities for its design, implementation and monitoring
• Clear and coherent political strategy and targets for policy-makers and public authorities
• Close cooperation and knowledge sharing with research institutions
• Monitoring and control system for the agricultural production processes supported
• Sanction mechanisms
• Country-wide monitoring of livestock numbers, performance, and the risk of disease (e.g. via an animal health service)
• Country-wide monitoring of natural resources and their quality (e. g. water, soil, forests, air, grassland)

Possible Negative Effects

• Farmers circumvent the upper limit by dividing farms formally or for tax purposes
• Livestock farms lose their development prospects