Up to 3,000 Dutch farms near areas considered environmentally sensitive are set to be bought and shut down by the government in order to comply with EU rules.
The closing of thousands of farms comes as the Netherlands tries to slash its nitrogen pollution to comply with EU nature preservation rules, and will proceed with compulsory purchases of farms if not enough make a decision to shut voluntarily.
The scheme – known as MGA2 – focuses on purchasing and terminating livestock farms located close to nature reserves. It was announced in March by Nature and Nitrogen Minister Christianne van der Wal, who described the plan as “wildly attractive.”
It is a key part of the Cabinet’s nitrogen policy to lower nitrogen emissions by half by 2030.
€24.3 billion has been allocated by the Cabinet to do so, and €7.5 billion will be used to compensate farmers in the MGA2 buyout scheme.
Speaking in relation to the Dutch government’s plan, which is targeting the closure of 2,000 to 3,000 farms, van der Wal told MPs on Friday that compulsory buying of farms would be undertaken with “pain in the heart”. Leaked versions of the government plan outline how farmers will be offered a figure of 120 per cent of the farm’s value. While this has yet to be confirmed by government ministers, van der Wal told MPs: “There is no better offer coming”.
EU conservation rules necessitate the reduction of emissions in a country where agriculture is responsible for almost half of all nitrogen emissions in the prominent farming nation. The announcement of the government’s new strategy is likely to inflame tensions with Dutch farmers over the issue of nitrogen reduction, and follows months of mass protests staged by farmers across the nation, which have led to over 700 arrests.
As detailed by Dr Matt Treacy in late August, the high-profile campaign by farmers against proposals to lower carbon emissions has led to a potential split within the ruling coalition.
During the summer, Sieta van Keimpema, spokesperson for the Farmer’s Defence Force, said that whatever problem there is with emissions built up over a century, and simply cannot be changed within a several years, and not at the expense of livestock farmers.
The protests have been taking place for the last three years, and have featured pickets of ministers’ houses, the burning of hale bales, and the dumping of manure on highways in the nation which is the world’s second largest exporter of agricultural goods after the US.
Last month, years of unrest over green laws culminated in thousands of tractors flooding the roads in protest, with the ‘freedom convoy’ causing the worst rush hour in Dutch history – with traffic jams stretching for 700 miles at worst.
Farmers have pointed out that other sectors, including aviation, have not been asked to pay the same price – arguing that they have been disproportionately targeted by demands to cut emissions drastically by 2030.
Ministers are now set to decide if a sufficient number of farms have offered to close voluntarily in the autumn.
In August, Dutch newspaper NRC reported that the buyout scheme may not comply with European regulations. Sources close to the newspaper claimed that Brussels was worried about the ‘generous’ buyout scheme for farmers.
The scheme – known as MGA2 – may not comply with European regulations, and could be considered illegal state aid.
Dutch farmers’ lobby group LTO Netherland has said trust in the government has reduced – and has “been very low for a long time”. It said the government has drafted “restrictions without perspective”.
While Dutch farmers’ body, Agractue, warned that the buyout scheme must not been applied with the threat of compulsory government purchase.