Fertilizer shock in MV: Minister Backhaus suspends requirements in red areas!

Fertilizer shock in MV: Minister Backhaus suspends requirements in red areas!

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a current decision is causing a stir in agriculture. Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) has suspended fertilizer regulations in the so-called red areas, which are considered to be contaminated with nitrates, until further notice. This comes as a result of a ruling by the Federal Administrative Court, which declared the Bavarian Fertilizer Ordinance ineffective and pointed to a violation of the fundamental right to property and freedom of occupation. Farmers in Bavaria had resisted the strict regulations and the court agreed with them. Backhaus is now demanding that the federal government quickly adapt the nationwide fertilizer regulations in order to make the regulations clearer and constitutional. Very important: The decision as to whether its own state regulation is changed or even repealed now lies with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Backhaus is hoping for a solution by February 2026 at the latest, before agriculture can start fertilizing again.

In the affected red areas, farmers must reduce their nitrogen fertilizer by 20 percent to protect groundwater from harmful nitrate pollution. Around 430,000 hectares of agricultural land in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are currently affected, which accounts for around a third of the state's agricultural land. The president of the farmers' association, Karsten Trunk, sees the ruling as a victory for farmers and is of the opinion that the red areas need to be urgently checked as the strict requirements can lead to significant harvest losses.

The impact on agriculture

The suspension of fertilizer regulations has both agricultural and environmental dimensions. Excessive use of fertilizers not only endangers soil and plants, but also water ecosystems and drinking water supplies, as the Federal Environment Agency emphasizes. To address these challenges, the EU Nitrates Directive was launched, which aims to protect waters from nitrate pollution from agricultural sources. In Germany, this law is implemented via the Fertilizer Ordinance, which has undergone changes since 2020 in order to more clearly identify particularly polluted areas.

A total of over 54,000 km² in Germany are currently classified as nitrate-contaminated areas. Measures to delimit these areas are based on monitoring nitrate concentrations in groundwater measuring points. Measuring points with higher nitrate values ​​are the focus and are used to determine management requirements. This is supported by the geostatistical approach of the General Administrative Regulation on Territorial Delimitation, which was updated in August 2022. However, this does not mean that the problems are solved. The measuring networks are not able to identify individual causes of nitrate pollution - this requires comprehensive disclosure of emissions.

A look forward

The uncertainties and challenges in agriculture are noticeable. Farmers are under pressure to find the balance between increasing yields, legal compliance and protecting the environment. While farmers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are hoping for quick clarification from politicians, it remains to be seen how the regulations will affect practice. There is also a strong focus on the demands to rethink the red areas in order to enable farmers to work in a practical way. In this area of ​​tension between environmental protection and economic reality, the future use of fertilizers will prove to be crucial.

The evolution of fertilizer regulations will continue to be monitored as the country pushes for a solution that is fair to all parties. NDR reports about the suspension of the fertilizer regulations, and that Federal Environment Agency offers detailed information on the nitrate-contaminated areas. So it remains to be seen what happens next.