Dutch farmers used tractors to block roads and supermarket distribution networks to protest government-imposed emissions cuts that threaten their livelihoods on Monday.
More than forty thousand farmers have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest climate regulations that the Dutch governing coalition itself acknowledges will force more than 30% of farmers out of work, DW mentioned. Farmers dumped hay bales on roads, left compost outside government officials’ homes and closed highways and other vital infrastructure to protest regulations, according to the Associated Press. mentioned.
“The honest message… is that not all farmers can continue their business,” the government said in a June statement announcing the new emissions targets. The Associated Press reports that farmers assert they are being unfairly targeted by regulations and are losing out on their future prospects.
The Netherlands’ largest airport urged its passengers on Monday to use public transport to reach its stations amid fears that farmers’ blockades could target airports, and fishermen closed a number of ports this week in solidarity with farmers, the Associated Press reported. .
The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality told The Daily Caller News Foundation that the current emissions cuts and the backlash goes back to a 2019 court ruling that found the Netherlands had not done enough to protect its natural areas. Citing the ruling, the Dutch government introduced targets last month to halve emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia, both of which are found in large quantities in livestock manure. (RELATED: ‘EPA Plays Politics’: Biden Amin pushes new standards for farmers as food inflation soars)
The department told TheDCNF it was working with farmers to “consider a new way of doing business through innovation, resettlement, expansion and getting more nature involved in agriculture.”
However, many farmers are disappointed.
“We cannot invest. Our fathers, uncles, cannot invest in the future. Thus, as small farmers, we also have no prospect of… taking over a farm,” Maren van Heon, a 23-year-old Dutch dairy farmer, Tell Euro News.
This is the ultimate course of climate change activism. Eventually everything must be stopped, even our food supply. Dutch farmers are protesting against new rules that will close farms and force them to kill livestock to reduce “emissions”. Good luck to the farmers pic.twitter.com/aBXRiRqDIH
– Malcolm Roberts ?? (MRobertsQLD) July 1, 2022
Holland is biggest source of meat in the European Union and exported approx 100 billion dollars of total agricultural commodities in 2019. The protests come as the world faces food shortages due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and some fear the ongoing supply disruptions due to the protests will drive up prices in the Netherlands and abroad, mentioned.
The shelves of many supermarkets have already begun to empty in #Holland Farmers across the country closed distribution centers for two days.# retweet #Farmers_defense # farmers # Najran # Hahaha # Hahaha # farmers pic.twitter.com/kiT85H6HjH
– WeAreProtestors (WeAreProtestors) 5 July 2022
The Associated Press reported that over the weekend, the Dutch government appointed Johan Remex to lead talks between farmers and government officials responsible for drafting emissions cut regulations. Dutch agricultural lobby LTO described Remkes as a “management heavyweight with deep knowledge” of the issues and said he was open to conversations with him, according to the Associated Press.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is freely available to any qualified news publisher who can provide a large audience. For opportunities to license our original content, please contact Licing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
