Dutch see new hope in report to break nitrogen impasse

Dutch farmers and politicians cautiously welcomed a set of new environmental proposals put forward on Wednesday aimed at slashing nitrogen emissions, including possible buyouts, after government plans previously sparked weeks of angry demonstrations.

Official mediator Johan Remkes unveiled a set of 24 proposals in The Hague after weeks of consultation to break an impasse between Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s government and furious farmers worried about losing their livelihoods.

The tense stand-off was sparked after the Dutch government in June unveiled plans to cut nitrogen emissions, mainly blamed on the country’s four million cows.

Plans included cutting the amount of livestock by half and possibly shutting certain farms as nitrogen, mainly from manure, was damaging some of the country’s most sensitive natural areas.

“Nature has a central place in this debate. Nitrogen emissions urgently need to be reduced,” Remkes told journalists as he unveiled his report.

To kick-start the process, Remkes said in one of the proposals, the government should ensure between 500 to 600 “high polluter” farms near environmentally sensitive areas either change to bring down nitrogen emissions — or close down, with farmers compensated.

Shutting down should be voluntary and farmers should be paid the highest possible compensation if they decide to take this option, he said.

“But there should be a deadline. It means that if there are a number of agricultural entrepreneurs who let the deadline lapse, there will be no other choice than a buy-out,” Remkes said.

“There are no easy roads left to tackle this problem. Measures to cut nitrogen emissions have been delayed for far too long,” he stressed.

The announcement by Rutte’s four-party coalition government in June sparked an angry summer of protest by farmers, who blocked highways with tractors, burnt straw bales and even threatened a former agricultural minister at home.

The reaction on Wednesday was cautiously optimistic.

The main Dutch farming union LTO said “there were a number of good points in the recommendation” and called it a “turning point”, the ANP national news agency said.

But the LTO also said it was “impossible and unnecessary” to buy out 500 to 600 farms.

“It is possible to improve so-called high-polluters through sustainable innovation,” said LTO head Sjaak van der Tak.

Rutte called the report “firm with clear conclusions”, saying it would be studied by his cabinet.