Thousands of Dutch farmers protest, fearing government cuts

By ALEKSANDAR FURTULA
Associated Press

STROE, Netherlands (AP) — Thousands of farmers have gathered in the central Netherlands to protest the Dutch government’s plans to rein in emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia. They drove their tractors across the country in slow-moving convoys and snarled traffic on major highways Wednesday. The protest was organized after the government published steep nationwide targets for cutting emissions. Calling it an “unavoidable transition,” the government mandated changes that will likely make many farmers drastically reduce their livestock or get rid of them altogether. Farmers claim their livelihoods and those of thousands of people who work in the agricultural services industry are on the line.