BREAKING: Dutch Government To Seize And Close 3,000 Farms To Comply With EU Environmental Rules
In the Netherlands, farmers block a major highway with their tractors on Tuesday during a national protest. Farmers say their livestock and operations are being unfairly blamed for greenhouse gas emissions.
The Dutch government is planning to buy and close down up to 3,000 farms near” environmentally sensitive areas” to be in compliance with irrational EU environmental rules.
This comes after farmer protests erupted this summer following a government plan to reduce nitrogen emissions by 50% by 2030, The New York Times reported. Farmers believe the measure unfairly targeted the agricultural sector, which is responsible for the largest portion of nitrogen emissions in the Netherlands, the Times added.
The Netherlands is Europe’s largest meat exporter.
The government will conduct a “compulsory purchase” of large nitrogen emitters as part of a voluntary, one-time offer, announced Nitrogen Minister Christianne van der Wal, Bloomberg reported. Farmers will be offered a deal “well over” the value of the farm, according to the government plan. She asserted “there is no better offer coming” in a Friday meeting with MPs.
A political party called BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB), or Farmer-Citizen movement, has embraced the protests and currently ranks fourth in polls ahead of next year’s elections, The Guardian reported. Reforming the “nitrogen law” will be the primary goal of the party, which has positioned itself as a voice for the needy, The Guardian claimed.
