Dutch Farmers Threaten Summer of Protests Over New Nitrogen Rules
1st July 2026
Dutch farmers’ organisations have warned of a summer of protests if the government presses ahead with proposed nitrogen restrictions that they say could put many farms out of business.
The warning came as parliament debated Agriculture Minister Jaimi Van Essen’s plans on Wednesday. Farmer representatives met for crisis talks in Nijkerk while farmers gathered outside with tractors to protest the proposals.
The organisations—including Agractie, the Dutch Dairy Farmers Union (NMV), the Dutch Poultry Farmers Union (NVP), Farmers Defence Force (FDF), and LTO Nederland—oppose plans to introduce wider buffer zones around Natura 2000 protected areas and tougher livestock emissions limits, arguing they would make farming in some regions virtually impossible.