The Farmer-Citizen Movement, a farmers party in the Netherlands, is tapping into widespread discontent with the government’s environmental and agricultural regulations.

Ground zero: Concerns about extensive farming practices in the Netherlands, and the associated nitrogen compounds generated by animal manure and fertilizers, have led to governmental efforts to reduce nitrogen pollution.
* Proposals include reducing animal herds by half by the end of this decade, impacting farmers like Wilbert Van der Post, who may have to diversify his income to adapt to the changing agricultural landscape.
* Environmentalists have pushed for these measures, saying that the Netherlands experiences a level of nitrogen emissions unprecedented globally due to intensive farming practices.

Rising movement: In response to these policies, the Farmer-Citizen Movement political party has emerged, going on to win 16 of the 75 seats in the Dutch Senate, more than any other party.
* Party founder Caroline van der Plas refutes labels of the BBB being a protest or single-issue party, seeing the movement as a response to governmental interference and societal change.

Voter sentiment: The party’s appeal reaches beyond the farming community, as general frustration grows over rising living costs, housing accessibility, and societal changes in the Netherlands.
* Political scientist Wouter van der Brug suggests that the Farmer-Citizen Movement’s strength stems from tapping into this broader sense of unease.
* Farmer Wilbert van der Post, and others like him, plan to support the Farmer-Citizen Movement in the upcoming national election on November 22nd.

View original article on NPR

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