Dutch farm minister resigns after protests over pollution

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch agriculture minister has unexpectedly resigned following a tumultuous summer of protests by farmers over pollution regulations. Henk Staghouwer told reporters Tuesday he wasn’t suitable for the job. He had just negotiated a controversial agreement with the European Commission to scrap a Dutch exemption to manure spreading limits. The country’s lucrative agriculture sector has been in crisis since a 2019 court ruling forced the government to slash nitrogen oxide and ammonia emissions. Thousands of farmers have staged protests including blockading cities with tractors and burning hay bales along highways.