https://www.dw.com/en/dutch-farmers-block-food-distribution-… Dutch farmers angry at government plans to slash emissions used tractors and trucks to blockade supermarket distribution centers on Monday. Fishermen also blocked some ports in a show of support for farmers. Their actions were part of ongoing protests against a government proposal to slash emissions of pollutants like nitrogen oxide and ammonia by 50% by 2030.
According to the government’s own figures the plan to cut nitrogen emissions by more than 70% in areas close to nature conservation areas could lead to the shutting down of around 30% of livestock farms.
The BBC was reporting on that last night. The Dutch farmers are highly productive, because they use a lot of chemicals, that give off nitrogen. Cutting nitrogen emissions means cutting the amount of chemicals they use on their fields, which reduces their productivity, and reduces their profit.
A farmers’ party has stunned Dutch politics, and is set to be the biggest party in the upper house of parliament after provincial elections. The Farmer-citizen movement (BBB) was only set up in 2019 in the wake of widespread farmers’ protests. But with most votes counted they are due to win 15 of the Senate’s seats with almost 20% of the vote…
The BBB aims to fight government plans to slash nitrogen emissions harmful to biodiversity by dramatically reducing livestock numbers and buying out thousands of farms. But its appeal has spread rapidly beyond its rural heartland, on a populist platform that represents traditional, conservative Dutch social and moral values.