Dutch farmers take tractors to anti-government protest

Thousands of farmers have driven their tractors along major roads across the Netherlands, snarling morning traffic as they headed for a mass protest against the Dutch government’s plans to rein in emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia.

The national infrastructure authority urged motorists to delay travel as slow-moving convoys of tractors defied appeals not to use major roads as they drove toward the central Netherlands, where a farmer in the agricultural village of Stroe was hosting the protest.

In The Hague, near the Dutch parliament, a few dozen farmers and their supporters, some wearing T-shirts with the text: “No farmers, no food,” gathered for a breakfast early on Wednesday before heading to the protest.

“I was asked to come here and provide breakfast so we can show we are food producers, not pollution producers.”

Calling it an “unavoidable transition”, the Dutch government earlier this month mandated reductions in emissions of up to 70% in many places close to protected nature areas and as high as 95% in other places.

The ruling coalition earmarked an extra 24.3 billion euro (£22 billion) to finance changes that will likely make many farmers drastically reduce their number of livestock, or get rid of them altogether.

The plans, which have to be carried out by provincial governments, have been opposed even by members of Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s own party and other members of his coalition.

Farming is a key sector in the Dutch economy, with exports worth nearly 105 billion euro (£90 billion) last year.

But it comes at a cost of producing of polluting gases, despite farmers taking steps to reduce emissions.

Mr Zegwaard said farmers were prepared to talk about how to reduce emissions.

“Now the agricultural sector is dismissed as a major polluter and that is not right,” he said.