EU greenlights Dutch plans to close farms for ‘climate change’

The European Union Commission Tuesday approved two Dutch plans to close thousands of farms that are harming the climate.

Climate regulations pushed by the Dutch government — particularly within the last two years — have primarily targeted farmers because their livestock’s urine, flatulence and sneezes are said to cause “climate change” through their nitrogen emissions. 

Last year, caps were placed on how much nitrogen farmers are allowed to emit, which is expected to harm 30% of farms once enforced.

Now the Dutch government, which aims to halve its nitrogen-based emissions by 2030, has received approval from the EU Commission to buy out 3,000 farms. The project expected to cost €1.47 billion ($1.62 billion). The government will pay certain breeding farmers between 100%-120% of the losses if they voluntarily close their farms. The farmer must also agree to never breed animals in the Netherlands or the EU again.

The breeding sites being targeted for closure are all small- or medium-sized farms, according to a statement from the EU Commission.

It is unclear what will happen to those farmers who refuse to voluntarily accept the deal. An EU Commission official told Frontline News that “[i]t is up to the national authorities to choose their strategy to achieve their environmental objectives.”

The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest exporter of agriculture products by value, after the US.

Demonstrations swept the Netherlands last year to protest the climate regulations, with farmers setting bales of hay ablaze and spreading manure along highways. Many blocked distribution centers for supermarkets and video footage show scuffles between the farmers and undercover police at The Hague. 

Dutch police met the protesters with violent — and even lethal — force, shooting at farmers and nearly killing a child. 

But in March, the Dutch people issued a referendum on the government’s harsh climate mandates in a shock provincial vote.

The Farmer-Citizen Movement, or BoerburgerBeweging (BBB), was established in 2019 in response to the government’s plan to “fight climate change” by restricting food production and putting farmers out of business.

The BBB shocked the country with a resounding win in provincial elections. The party won 15 senate seats representing 20% of the senate, setting it on course to become the largest party in the Dutch senate.

This surprise outcome — described by Dutch commentator Ben Coates as an “earthquake” in Dutch politics — appears to have irked media outlets, who immediately began suggesting the party is “a right-wing, populist party that was quite anti-EU, anti-immigration and in favour of banning burkas for Muslims.”

Nearly all mainstream news outlets, in fact, are attempting to cast the BBB as a “populist right-wing” faction, despite the party’s simple mission to represent rural and agrarian voters.

“We are all normal people and all the people who voted for us are normal citizens,” BBB Leader Caroline Van der Plas said in a victory speech.

“Normally, if people no longer trust the government, they stay home,” she added. “Today they showed they don’t want to stay at home — they want their voices to be heard.”