Dozens of farmers kicked off the large farmers’ protest in Schermerhorn (near Alkmaar) tonight with a playful action. The message ‘NH #WijBlijven!’ was spread in the grass with tractors. formed. Tomorrow the actions will continue in Stroe (Barneveld), where 30,000 farmers are expected.
The action went smoothly and was directed against the nitrogen policy and other restrictive rules. The farmers now state that they are ‘completely done with it’ and are making themselves heard in this playful way.
“It is actually sad that we are here”, says co-organizer Ad Baltus. “We would have preferred to show something different.”
According to Baltus, the nitrogen policy will “mean a lot” to farmers. “We have to achieve reductions that are actually unattainable. And that means that a lot of companies will probably be lost.”
NH News from live at the action. Look back at the images below
Farmer Ingrid de Sain from Schellinkhout is also one of the organizers, together with her husband and daughter she also participates in the protest. She talks passionately about her company: “We are more than food caretakers, we are also land managers. We pay attention to everything in our work, including animal welfare and nature.”
She is concerned about the future of the company because of the cabinet’s new nitrogen plans: “The sector is under pressure from all sides. We have a hundred dairy cows and a successor. We want the next generation to have a future too.”
The protests will continue tomorrow. Farmers from all over the country come to the municipality of Barneveld on tractors. According to Rijkswaterstaat, road users must take into account a lot of delays en route.
Previous action
In 2020, the tractors also drove over the Schermhorense field in protest against the nitrogen policy. At the time, the enlightened message was: ‘NH <3 Boeren'. It presented a positive and proud action to show "that we are proud farmers, that we love our beautiful North Holland and do everything we can to ensure the existence of our companies", according to the organizers at the time.
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