Uineken says that farmers’ patience with agricultural policy is slowly running out again. “This is still a peaceful protest. Our demands must be met on Valentine’s Day, otherwise we will come back less friendly. And we will also bring a present, because the amount of shit and filth that we have had to deal with in recent years gives us We will definitely be back.”
When asked what plans the farmers themselves have to solve the nitrogen problems, Uineken answers that he has doubts about the basis for the policy. “That just depends on the initial phase, on the requirements that are set. The nature objective analyzes that have already been made are very questionable. So you have to start there first.”
According to the spokesperson, farmers have already proposed dozens of plans, but nothing has been done with them. “It is a matter of not wanting to, these are political choices that are made. We can do a lot as a sector, we have already proven that in recent decades.” Uineken is convinced that with the farmers’ plans the nitrogen problem can be solved, the decline of nature can be stopped and good and decent farming can continue.
Deputy Jisse Otter understands the farmers. “He understands the anger and frustration, which is also felt at the provincial government. Things are invented in Europe, we have to implement them here, while some things don’t work.” Otter is sure that in the long term quite a lot is possible, also for the farmers, “but the politicians want to move much too quickly and that is part of the frustration. We have pushed the farmers in one direction for five years and now they have to suddenly in five years the other direction. There is a lot of energy in the agricultural sector, but if we are not careful, that energy will go in the wrong direction.”
But according to Otter, farmers are partly ringing the wrong bell. That must be the bell of The Hague and Brussels. Otter advises farmers against coming to the provincial government building with a manure cart on February 14.