Home » News » Emotional farmers speak during a break in the nitrogen debate | Inland

Emotional farmers speak during a break in the nitrogen debate | Inland

Emotions ran high during a conversation between Boswijk and farmer Koos. “Let us not burst,” the latter asked the CDA member with tears in his eyes. Together with dozens of other farmers, Koos went to the House of Representatives building. They sat in the public gallery during the debate. There are a few tractors outside, and the police are on their feet. The nitrogen debate followed a massive protest in Stroe against the cabinet’s plans.

According to dairy farmer Jaap from Maasland, many of the farmers came to the House after work when the debate was still going on. They had hoped that the policy would be changed, but “nothing is happening.” Other farmers present say that the farmer actions “will become even more intense”. “Yesterday in Stroe it was still fun,” says an activist. “But if we only wanted fun, we would go to a barn party.”

Despair

The farmers indicated that they were desperate. Some consider emigrating. They discuss among themselves in which color of the nitrogen map their farm is located. In some areas, nitrogen emissions need to be more than halved, or even reduced by 95 percent. The provinces can still fill this in.

Agractie chairman Bart Kemp says when asked that this is not a coordinated action, but that it is a spontaneous reaction by farmers from the west of the Netherlands “to the persistence of politics in the nitrogen plans.” Kemp expects that on Thursday evening “a few more farmers will join.”

‘No reason to act’

According to the police, it was quiet at the Chamber building on Thursday evening. Around 11 p.m. there were a few tractors. A spokesman for Mayor Jan van Zanen indicates that this is not a demonstration, because the farmers in the House of Representatives are following the debate. Tractors are not blocking through roads, so there is no reason to act now, the spokeswoman said.

The House of Representatives has been debating the proposed policy since 10 a.m.

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