Netherlands to close up to 3,000 farms to comply with EU rules

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While being lauded internationally as the “tiny country that feeds the world” and the continent’s biggest meat exporter, the Netherlands has been struggling at home with a pollution crisis caused by an excess of farm animals.

“We can’t be the tiny country that feeds the world if we shite ourselves,” said MP Tjeerd de Groot, from the Democrats 66 party, which is part of the coalition government in the Netherlands.

The country has the highest density of livestock in Europe – more than four times that of the UK or France – with more than 100 million cattle, chickens and pigs in total.

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The Netherlands is attempting to cut down its nitrogen pollution and will push ahead with compulsory purchases if not enough farms take up the offer voluntarily.

Farmers will be offered a deal “well over” the worth of the farm, according to the government plan that is targeting the closure of 2,000 to 3,000 farms or other major polluting businesses.

Earlier leaked versions of the plan put the figure at 120 per cent of the farm’s value but that figure has not yet been confirmed by ministers.

“There is no better offer coming,” Christianne van der Wal, nitrogen minister, told MPs on Friday. She said compulsory purchases would be made with “pain in the heart”, if necessary.

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The Dutch cabinet also wants to draw up a long term plan for the future of agriculture with farmers, environmental groups and local government.

The voluntary buyout scheme was “the only way to finally create opportunities for the construction of homes, the construction of new infrastructure and for projects to make the Netherlands more sustainable in the shortest possible time,” said Ingrid Thijssen, chairman of VNO-NCW, an employers’ federation in the Netherlands.

Last month, the Netherlands Assessment Agency said other buyout schemes over the last 25 years had failed to substantially cut the number of cattle.

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According to the latest figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the Dutch inflation rate fell slightly to 14,3 percent in October. In spite of this, however, food prices across the country continue to rise.

Inflation in the Netherlands falls to 14,3 percent

After inflation reached record highs in September, CBS reports that October once again saw the national inflation rate fall, albeit slightly, with prices for goods and services being an average of 14,3 percent higher than this time last year.

Inflation remains high across the continent, although the Dutch figures are higher than the EU average. According to Eurostat, inflation in the Eurozone rose from 9,9 percent in September 2022 to 10,7 percent last month.

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