Farmers from all over the country are on their way to Stroe in Gelderland to demonstrate against the cabinet’s nitrogen plans on Wednesday afternoon. In some places, the farmers drive on the highways, including the A50, despite the protest organizers calling in advance not to use the highways.
The organizers of the action day want to ‘turn their backs on The Hague’. They believe that farmers are being hit disproportionately hard and call the nitrogen plans ‘unachievable, impracticable, unnecessary and undesirable’. Farmers from all over the country go on their tractors to the village in the Gelderse Vallei.
The program includes various speeches by farmers, administrators of farmers’ organizations and politicians such as Caroline van der Plas (BBB) and Roelof Bisschop (SGP). The day of action will be concluded with rural rock by the Drenthe band Mooi Wark.
Ammonia emissions must be reduced by forty percent
The reason for the demonstration is a plan that Minister Christianne van der Wal (Nature and Nitrogen) recently sent to the House of Representatives. In her opinion, ammonia emissions from agriculture must be reduced by an average of 40 percent, so that nature is no longer overloaded. According to the plans, virtually no more emissions may take place in protected nature areas themselves, according to the minister, a reduction of seventy percent is necessary immediately. According to her, only then will it be possible to sufficiently reduce the nitrogen load on nature.
Provinces must make plans in the coming year to achieve the goals. Especially for livestock farmers who have a business in or right next to protected areas, it is highly questionable whether they can stay there if the minister’s requirements remain in place.
‘Risk that nature will be significantly affected’
The law stipulates that 74 percent of nature that is classified as ‘nitrogen sensitive’ may no longer be overloaded by 2035. Scientists have established the so-called Critical Deposition Value (KDW). If the amount of ammonia and nitrogen oxides exceeds these values, there is a risk that nature will be ‘significantly affected’. Angry farmers find those values unrealistic and want them removed from the law.
Furthermore, the demonstrators argue for ‘proportionate tasks for all sectors’. He also says that the cabinet itself wants to. In the coming months, plans will be made for industry and traffic to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.
Concept
Understanding for angry farmers is increasing, while the Dutch are less concerned about the impact of nitrogen on nature, according to research by I&O Research commissioned by the daily newspaper Fidelity†
Almost half (45 percent) of the respondents in the survey say they fully support the farmers’ protests. In October last year this was still 38 percent. On Thursday, the House of Representatives will debate the plans of nitrogen minister Christianne van der Wal.
Support for farmers is especially strong among voters of right-wing parties such as Forum, BBB, PVV, SGP and Ja21. It is remarkable that the understanding of the angry farmer has increased slightly in recent months among many left-wing parties, such as the Party for the Animals, GroenLinks and the PvdA. But the vast majority of these parties still have no understanding for demonstrating farmers.