Dozens of young farmers and farmer’s wives came this afternoon with their pedal tractors to the provincial house in Assen to protest. A playful protest to draw attention to the government’s nitrogen plans. According to organizer and farmer’s wife Sanne Ezendam, the farmers want to show that things can be done differently and that they can also campaign in a fun way.
“We want to show that the current generation and the young generation also want a future in the agricultural sector,” says Ezendam. “And that’s why we’re making a statement now. And we also just want to show that we are not only angry, but also a little sweet.”
Two of the protesting farmers are Derk and his sister Anna. They both hit a pedal tractor. “We have come to protest for the farmers”, the young Derk says proudly. Arjen is also on a small tractor in Assen today. “I don’t like that they decide in The Hague that farmers have to get rid of part of their cows,” he says.
The children are still too small to really understand it well, but according to Ezendam they get to know that something is going on at home. “Of course there is a lot of talk about it, I see that in our home and also with family and acquaintances. The children really feel that there are tensions.” And that is why they want to give the children a nice day today.
Large tractors form a guard of honor through which the farmers and farmer’s wives drive. At the front is a large tractor with music and afterwards there is orange juice and cow bars for the children. But of course it is a farmer’s protest and so they want to draw attention to this throughout the Netherlands. “The parade will be filmed and we will share this en masse on Facebook,” said Ezendam.