Reporting an agricultural business

If you want to set up an agricultural business in the Netherlands, you must report this intention at least 4 weeks in advance. This also applies if you want to change the activities of your agricultural business. Normally, you submit this report to the municipal authority (occasionally to the provincial authority).

The reporting requirement applies to companies such as:

• dairy farms;
• agricultural or horticultural companies with open soil cultivation;
• horse keepers;
• petting zoos;
• small cattle farms;
• mechanised contracting firms.

Environmental permit

After receiving your report, the authority will check whether your business needs an environmental permit or whether it falls under the general rules of the Agriculture (Environmental Management) Decree (Besluit landbouw milieubeheer). If an environmental permit is required, you can only start your operations or make the change to your business activities after this permit has been granted.

The environmental permit is part of the All-in-one Permit for Physical Aspects (omgevingsvergunning), which was introduced on 1 October 2010. Information about how to apply can be found on the 'All-in-one Permit for Physical Aspects' page.