Dutch farmers angry at government plans to slash emissions used tractors and trucks yesterday to block roads and supermarket distribution centers, sparking fears of store food shortages in the latest actions through a summer of discontent in the country’s lucrative agricultural sector.
The Netherlands’ busiest aviation hub, Schiphol Airport, urged travelers to use public transport to get to its terminals amid fears that the blockades also would target airports. Fishermen acting out of solidarity with farmers also blocked a number of harbors.
The unrest among Dutch farmers was triggered by a government proposal to slash emissions of pollutants like nitrogen oxide and ammonia by 50% by 2030. Provincial governments have been given a year to formulate plans to achieve the goal.
A group of farmers in the province of North Holland held talks with two senior officials in the city of Haarlem.
The reforms are expected to include reducing livestock and buying up some farms whose animals produce large amounts of ammonia. Farmers argue they are being unfairly targeted and are being given no perspective for their future.
