The government's recently presented Budget Memorandum contains a number of key points of importance to our sector.

General

• Also in 2024, LNV is working to sustainable agriculturewhereby: 'on the one hand, nature, our waters and soils remain healthy and, on the other hand, farmers, market gardeners and fishermen maintain their prospects and continue to earn a good living in the long term. This is important not only for these entrepreneurs, but also for the quality of the food supply, the countryside and the regional economy.'
• Future perspective LNV: We have the following future envisaged. Farmers producing high-quality, sustainable produce, with circular agriculture as the guiding motive for innovation, development and investment.

Farm animals

• LNV writes: In 2024, the Regieorgaan Stalinnovaties will be operational. This governing body stems from the letter 'Future promoting innovation of low-emission stable systems' sent to the Lower House of Parliament. With this, the public-private partnership to sustainable emission reduction in livestock farming to accelerate worked out.
• LNV: Tackling barn fires remains a spearhead and work continues on making camera surveillance mandatory in slaughterhouses and assembly centres.
• The Rural cessation scheme livestock sites (Lbv) and the Lbvplus are open until 1 December 2023 and 5 April 2024, respectively.
• By 2024, LNV is working with other governments on an improved approach to invasive exotic species. 

Animal welfare and animal health

• In 2024, LNV will negotiate in Brussels the European Commission's expected proposals for a review of the EU animal welfare regulation. 
• LNV wants long-distance transport of animals for slaughter and young 'unweaned' animals are banned.  
• LNV writes that the tackling barn fires remains a focal point and work continues on making camera surveillance mandatory in slaughterhouses and assembly centres and also laboratory animals deserve protection of their welfare. This is done through the Acceleration Programme Transition to Animal-Free Innovation. 
• LNV: With the additional funds from the coalition agreement, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) is developing into a future-proof and innovative regulator. While this will give the NVWA more clout, there are limits. For more clout, new methods such as drones, apps and behavioural interventions will be deployed smartly. In 2024, the NVWA will work on the next phase of revising the system of inspection and supervision. In 2024, the division of the Inspection Directorate into two directorates (Slaughter Supervision and Trade Supervision) will take place.

Companion animal health and welfare

• The physical and mental pet health must improve. To this end, LNV focuses on animal farmers. 'After all, it is their responsibility to prevent animals suffering from serious abnormalities or diseases because of the need for animals with a certain appearance. The initiated policy against breeding and trade in animals with harmful external characteristics is taken further. This will be done with a ban on keeping animals with physical characteristics that always cause suffering.' LNV is also working on a display ban for animals with harmful external characteristics. 
• In 2024, the home and hobby animals in force. In its creation, the needs of the animal and the safety of humans, including zoonotic risks, are taken into account. 

Bird flu

• Intensification plan bird flu. Because of the public health risks and the high impact on both wildlife and domestic poultry, LNV is stepping up its approach to avian flu.
• In 2024, the National Action Plan strengthening zoonoses policy further implemented.  

Strengthen role of veterinarians

• LNV writes: In 2023, together with the veterinary profession, a plan to reduce the strengthen veterinary professional practice. This will be discussed with the profession in 2024 on the basis of research on the role, position and quality assurance of the veterinarian and the labour market for veterinarians. 

Grants

LNV: To promote the welfare of companion and farm animals, an amount of approximately € 4.6 million in subsidies is deployed by LNV. This amount finances, among other things, the deployment of the National Inspectorate for Animal Protection (€ 2.3 million) and the Advisory Committee on Household and Hobby Animals (€ 0.2 million), as well as the Farm Animal Welfare Complaints Bureau (€ 0.3 million), the National Centre for the Management of Companion Animals (€ 0.2 million) and the development of policy on care for young animals (€ 0.4 million). In addition, a number of other projects aimed at ensuring animal welfare and responsible husbandry are subsidised (€ 0.8 million), such as on dog policy or to promote fire safety of stables.

Source: https://www.knmvd.nl/prinsjesdag-relevante-informatie-voor-dierenartsen-2/