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Farmers at the protest on Wednesday: 30 percent of livestock farms are apparently at risk
Photo: IMAGO/Sem van der Wal / IMAGO/ANP
Because of the protests in the Netherlands, which have been going on for more than two weeks, the government has called on the farmers' associations to hold talks.
The farmers' associations should accept the government's offer of talks, demanded Environment Minister Christianne van der Wal in The Hague.
However, the largest interest group, the LTO, is refusing talks with the intermediary appointed by the government.
Other organizations had previously rejected the offer.
There were renewed clashes with farmers on Thursday night.
In Blijswijk near The Hague, mobile police forces intervened and cleared a blockade of several large supermarket warehouses.
19 demonstrators were provisionally arrested.
There were also protests elsewhere in the country.
Around 200 farmers with tractors demonstrated in front of the provincial administration in Arnhem.
Elsewhere, farmers also set fire to bales of hay along highways.
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30 percent of livestock farms threatened
The government wants to reduce nitrogen emissions nationwide by 50 percent by 2030, and by more than 70 percent in natural areas.
According to government calculations, this could lead to the end of around 30 percent of livestock farms.
The farmers reacted angrily and blocked highways and large warehouses of supermarket chains with tractors.
On Wednesday, the police fired warning shots because of what they said was a dangerous situation.
Farmers recently broke through a police cordon in front of the home of Nature Minister Christianne van der Wal, who is assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture, and dumped manure.
In order to resolve the conflict, Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government appointed a mediator, ex-Minister Johan Remkes.
But the farmers reject him because he himself is responsible for the nitrogen policy.
They call for a fundamental change in plans.
ptz/dpa
