Exposed! EU Pushed the Dutch Government to Target Farmers | March 23, 2023 |

The media accused European Commission official Diederik Samson of influencing Dutch policy. He said he was only reminding the government of the Commission's point of view.

The Dutch press revealed documents showing that the EU Commission applied backroom pressure on the Dutch government to issue mandatory purchase orders to farmers, to advance the country's controversial nitrogen policy. 

According to the documents seen by journalists, senior European Commission official Diederik Samson advised the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture to prioritise forced buyouts of farms to break the backs of protestors in November 2022.

The Netherlands has seen a grassroots backlash against plans to slash the nation's agricultural industry under the guise of environmentalism, culminating in a major electoral victory for the Dutch farmer's movement (BBB) this month. The Dutch government had hoped to reduce nitrogen emissions using a volutary scheme to get farmers to stop farming.

Samson advised the Commission towards forced buyouts on farmers and away from planned voluntary buyouts, which would not be sufficient to solve the crisis. He described how the EU was demanding that the Netherlands make good on its nitrogen promises, mentioning how there was no room for flexibility on nitrogen cuts from Brussels. 

When the media accused Samson of influencing Dutch policy, he stated that he was only reminding the government of the Commission's point of view. Samson previously served as the former leader of the Dutch Labour Party and is a green energy CEO. 

Dutch farm buyout scheme for farmers may breach EU rules