The Dutch government plans to close 3,000 private farms to comply with EU regulations on nitrogen emission. Regulations state nitrogen emissions must be halved by 2030. Owners will receive up to 120% of what their farm is worth, as the Dutch state is spending 24.3 billion pounds on the endeavor.
From Remix:
Sander van Diepen, a spokesperson for the Dutch agricultural and horticultural association, LTO Nederland, said at the time: “These reductions are so severe that those rural communities will be totally devastated economically.” Commenting recently on the compulsory sale policy, the farmers’ lobby group said trust in the government “has been very low for a long time” and accused ministers of drafting environmental “restrictions without perspective.” The deadline for farmers to come forward and voluntarily offer to sell will come at the end of autumn, at which point the state will directly intervene and prioritize high-polluting businesses.
