Viewpoint: Farmer protests in Europe challenges misguided restrictions on biotechnology innovation – Genetic Literacy Project

Over the summer, farmers in the Netherlands vehemently protested against the government’s new environmental rules. Over multiple weeks, thousands of farmers burned hay bales and blocked roads and food distribution centers in an effort to draw attention to new EU rules that would paralyze the sector. The government in The Hague attempts to follow EU guidelines by slashing nitrogen emissions by 50% by 2030. Nitrous oxide and methane emissions are byproducts of livestock, for instance, when manure is deposed. The Netherlands – along with Denmark, Ireland and the Flanders region of Belgium – had exemptions on EU manure caps because of their small land areas, but that exemption is set to end for Dutch farmers. In practice, this means a considerable reduction in farm animals and putting numerous dairy farmers out of business.