Kemp: '800 extra tractors to Malieveld'

The farmers' protests on the Malieveld in The Hague have been going smoothly so far, although that does cost the Agractie organization a lot of effort. However, the atmosphere is good. About 800 more tractors are expected.

"According to the municipality, buses would be ready in Scheveningen and the farmers would be collected by the police. However, this is not possible. Farmers do not go from Scheveningen to The Hague on foot. That is why they decided to go into the city with tractors." , according to organizer Bart Kemp, of Agractie.

Although the atmosphere on the Malieveld is not grim, the farmers are by no means calm. The organization tries to keep the protests tidy on all sides, although various farmers are looking for the border; for example, blockades were removed last night. The organization is now calling on people not to come to the Malieveld anymore. "It is full and that could pose a danger if emergency services have to come to the scene."

Didn't sleep last night
"We are trying to steer everything in the right direction and have tried, together with the police, not to let the situation escalate. I did not sleep last night because of conversations with the police," said a very tired Agractie organizer Arjen Schuiling. Agractie uses people to de-escalate problem situations.

Agriculture certainly does not get all the cooperation from the government. "We could have steered everything through a tolerance policy," he continues. "We were able to make sure that all tractors were there before 7 am, so roadblocks were not necessary. Still, the farmers are keeping themselves tidy to the extent that I don't think any serious facts have happened so far. In case they did. I want to distance myself from that."

No party, but a better policy
The organization tries to temper the hardening of the atmosphere by, among other things, banning alcohol and tempering the party music. After all, the goal is not a party, but a better policy. Everyone agrees that if the message doesn't get through now, it never will in the House of Representatives. 

"It is completely understandable that farmers say that it is now ready. Many companies from the animal feed industry are also here and agree with these protests. The question now is whether the message gets through in The Hague and whether the House of Representatives is doing something with it. If you agree on things, you should not suddenly turn everything upside down in a unilateral way, based on a nitrogen report," said Nevedi chairman Henk Flipsen.

Help request from farmers
"It is not the case that you are just here with a few farmers. Also the entire agri-food sector. If this has no impact, the senses of MPs will not work. Farmers are not just standing here. They have had to arrange everything. I sat in the tractor all night. It is special that farmers come, because it is in the genes of farmers that they solve everything themselves. The fact that the farmers are here now is in fact a request for help."

Anne-Jan Doorn

Anne Jan Doorn is an arable expert at Boerenbusiness. He writes about the various arable farming markets and also focuses on the land and energy market.

aj.doorn@boerenbusiness. Nl

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