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Spanish farmers took part in protests last week in support of their Dutch peers who claim to face poverty if the Netherlands enforces its green climate agenda that targets agriculture.
These farmers have protested in solidarity with farmers in the Netherlands who have been protesting government plans to cut harmful emissions by 2030 that they say will essentially eliminate any chance that they have of making a living.
At issue are the projected effects of climate legislation which by 2030 would force Dutch firms to cut national nitrogen emissions by 50 percent and by up to 95 percent in certain areas. Cows and fertilizers have both been targeted as main sources of emissions being effectively outlawed.
“The honest message … is that not all farmers can continue their business,” the government said. And those who don’t want to sell the farm will have to approach their jobs differently.
The Dutch protests have been seen as a rallying cry for farmers around the world who imagine their governments imposing similar restrictions on them. Protests have taken place in Poland, Italy, Germany, Canada, Argentina, and Switzerland. Some of the protesters have also lashed out at soaring energy prices.
“We are not slaves, we are farmers,” said Italian farmers, who blocked traffic in Milan, ZeroHedge.com reported.
Dutch farmers announced that 23 July will be the Day of International Demonstrations to protest these policies. (See “FARMERS ACROSS EUROPE FIGHT AGAINST GREEN REGULATIONS THAT THREATEN LIVELIHOODS.”)
Ralph Schoellhammer, an assistant professor in economics and political science at Webster University, Vienna, wrote in Newsweek that the Netherlands, a country of just about 17 million residents, is the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter after the U.S.
“Given global food shortages and rising prices, the role of Dutch farmers in the global food chain has never been more important,” he wrote. “But if you thought the Dutch government was going to take that into account and ensure that people can put food on the table, you would be wrong; when offered the choice between food security and acting against “climate change,” the Dutch government decided to pursue the latter.”
The Spanish farmers took to the streets in Albacete, Granada, and Badajoz to criticize Madrid over the lack of gasoline and food in the country.
TRENDS FORECAST: Farmers across the EU have seen what happens when the government thinks that it can dictate to businesses when and how they can operate during the COVID-19 outbreak, and look at the result.
The unionization trend is surging across the world because the job market is so tight. These farmers are seeking to maximize their strikes while the Ukraine War continues because what they produce is a human necessity of life. Online video showed empty shelves inside grocery stores throughout the Netherlands. There was a saying that emerged on social media, “The world can live without politicians, but not without farmers.”