10,000+ farms will be shut down forever to fall in line with the green agenda of the European Union:
The Dutch government launched its long-anticipated Great Reset-style farmer buyout scheme on Monday, which could potentially see upwards of ten thousand farms shut down forever to fall in line with the green agenda of the European Union.
Following years of political wrangling, the government of The Netherlands has launched its programme for buying out farms that do not comply with the EU’s Natura 2000 scheme supposedly meant to protect environmentally sensitive areas. The buyout programme will initially impact approximately 3,000 privately-owned farms which are deemed to emit too much nitrogen.
Starting next month, farmers will be able to apply for a buyout, which will be set at 120 per cent of the farm’s value. In addition to the top nitrogen emitters, the government will also offer buyouts for dairy, pig and poultry farmers to shut down in exchange for a payout of 100 per cent of their farm’s value. It is expected that some 8,000 farmers will be eligible for the second scheme, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reports.
In total, the government has allocated 1.4 billion euros to cover the two programmes. The buyout scheme, which will last until next April, will remain voluntary for now, however, the Dutch government has previously suggested that if uptake is not high enough it may be forced to impose mandatory buyouts.
The farmers’ group Agractie expressed concern over the launch, saying that while a website has been opened to allow farmers to see if they are eligible for a buyout, the other options, such as reducing emissions, are not currently explained, meaning that farmers cannot accurately judge which direction to take.
The move to shut down potentially thousands of farms in The Netherlands, despite the ongoing food crisis, could have a significant impact further afield given the country’s status as Europe’s largest exporter of meat and one of the largest dairy exporters in the world.
h/t Coastie Patriot