Dutch farmers are protesting new climate policies they say will force them to kill off livestock and drive them out of business — policies which some argue also will drive up consumer food prices and contribute to the global hunger crisis.
The new Dutch policy stems from a 2019 court orderthat nitrogen-compound pollution in the Netherlands “will have to be cut by 70% to 80%.”
But as Dutch News reported:
“The government’s strategy to take a regional approach to the issue will lead to major problems in parts of Gelderland and Noord-Brabant, where livestock farming is concentrated and a number of vulnerable habitats are being seriously damaged.
“To meet the new rules, the amount of livestock farming will have to be reduced drastically, and that means some farmers will have to be bought out and shut down their operations.”
Iversen said farmers who do not “voluntarily” accept the government’s proposal may have their land seized outright.
“With the latest round of tightening of regulations, the Dutch government has announced more multi-billion-dollar buyout arrangements but has also stated they will expropriate the land from farmers who do not comply,” Iversen said. “They’ll take their land.”
Protesting farmers sprayed manure on a local town hall and dumped a truckload of manure in front of the home of Dutch minister of nature and nitrogen policy. Some farmers even brought their cows to a protest outside the Dutch parliament.
Others have blocked roads and highways, causing“major traffic jams,” and blockaded parts of the German-Dutch border, with help from freight and dock workers and fishermen.
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