FNP Member of Parliament Tjitte Hemstra asks questions to the Provincial Executive about the subsidy scheme for livestock farmers to take measures to protect livestock against the wolf. It appears that most livestock farmers do not use this scheme, but as long as the livestock is not properly protected, sheep, goats and other animals are easy prey for the wolf.
On October 30 last, following the investigation by the ‘Gelderland Wolf Commission’, an article appeared in the newspaper in which they concluded that livestock farmers take far too few measures against the wolf and that in Fryslân only 1.8 percent of sheep farmers take proper measures against the wolf. has grids.
The Province of Fryslân has a subsidy scheme for livestock farmers to take measures to protect livestock against the wolf, but it appears that most livestock farmers do not take advantage of this. Possible reasons for not taking the measures are that some livestock farmers do not have confidence in the operation of the grids. In addition, maintaining the grids costs the livestock farmer a lot of time and money. Some livestock farmers therefore take the risk that the wolf will strike because the damage does not outweigh the costs of protecting the livestock.
The FNP wants to know how the province can stimulate existing subsidy options so that the protection measures are better used and made more attractive to large livestock farmers. In addition, the party asks the council how they can ensure that the existing wolf consultant is used more often by livestock farmers. As long as the wolf is a protected species under national and European wildlife legislation, the FNP believes that the government should accommodate livestock farmers so that they can take measures necessary for the safety of their livestock.
