Today, farmers are protesting again, following a call from the agricultural organization, LTO Noord. They are gathering around provincial houses, which will ensure nice long traffic jams all day.
LTO Noord called on its 14,000 members to protest last week, aiming to get provincial policy rules on nitrogen production off the table. The farmers believe they are being unfairly blamed in the discussion about climate change and the nitrogen crisis. It seems that the farmers are already having some success in their campaign, as the province of Friesland has withdrawn its plans to combat nitrogen following a protest at a provincial house there last Friday, according to RTL Nieuws.
Sfeer totaal omslagen. Trekkers op een meter voor Provinciehuis Groningen en mensen proberen Provinciehuis binnen te dringen. #dvhn #boerenprotest pic.twitter.com/HahdQjzbXr
— Liselotte Schüren (@LSchuren) October 14, 2019
Atmosphere tense in Groningen
However, in Groningen, the atmosphere has turned sour, as farmers threaten to storm the provincial house. The deputy, Henk Staghouwer, has refused to meet the farmers, and to take the proposed measures against the nitrogen crisis off the table. More farmers are making their way to the provincial house to support their peers. The police have just announced that they will also be sending more officers, according to NOS.
Wat een gezicht: de Grote Markt en de Vismarkt staan vol trekkers. Volgens de laatste schatting zijn er straks 600 protesterende boeren in hartje Stad. Volg ons liveblog: https://t.co/0CmUwp5nAz #boerenprotest #rtvnoord pic.twitter.com/jxE1880wsE
— RTV Noord (@rtvnoord) October 14, 2019
Agriculture responsible for 40 percent of nitrogen production
The agricultural sector is responsible for 40 percent of the nitrogen production affecting Natura-2000 areas (areas of natural beauty). Due to nitrogen deposits in these areas, biodiversity disappears and plants become extinct. It could take over 50 years for these areas to recover from this pollution.
Nu op de Grote Markt, Groningen. #boerenprotest pic.twitter.com/nVYpx6UUS2
— Josephine (@Josephine76) October 14, 2019
Researchers announce measures to combat nitrogen crisis
Researchers have therefore put forward a number of measures to tackle the nitrogen crisis, with most of them pertaining to the agricultural sector. Farms nearby Natura-2000 areas must be cleaned up, farmers must invest in techniques to lower nitrogen emissions, and the number of livestock in the country must shrink- GroenLinks proposes to cut it in half.
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Image: Max Pixels