Overview

• Lower Saxony's 2023-2024 nutrient report confirms continued exceedances of legal nitrogen and phosphorus limits despite some stabilization in fertilizer use.
• Agriculture Minister Miriam Staudte and Chamber of Agriculture President Gerhard Schwetje presented the report, detailing district-level data on slurry, manure, and fermentation residues.
• Groundwater contamination remains a significant concern in regions with intensive livestock farming, where fertilizer restrictions are already in place.
• Minister Staudte is advocating for the federal government to tighten the Fertilizer Ordinance and implement cause-based exemptions to address regional disparities.
• The report underscores the ongoing tension between intensive agriculture and environmental sustainability in one of Germany's most livestock-dense states.