Politics · Netherlands · 3 hrs ago
Dutch ombudsman says changing policies left farmers uncertain
The Dutch National Ombudsman says government policies left farmers uncertain for a decade.
Farmers faced changing and conflicting rules on nitrogen, manure, nature, water and animal welfare.
The findings draw in part on conversations with 32 farmers from across the Netherlands, whose accounts were not verified.
The uncertainty affected farms and families, delaying investments and putting plans for greener and more innovative farming under pressure.
The Ombudsman says new agricultural policy alone will not restore trust unless the government recognises what went wrong and its effects.
He urges the government to set long-term goals, coordinate rules across authorities and give the agriculture minister a stronger lead.
He also says officials should use farmers’ knowledge and experience when making decisions.
The Dutch National Ombudsman says the government was unreliable to farmers over the past decade.
Changing rules, conflicting policies and unclear decisions created uncertainty for farms and their families.
Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen says new agricultural policy alone will not restore the sector’s trust.
The report draws on conversations with 32 farmers from across the Netherlands, alongside discussions with experts and organisations.
Van Zutphen recommends long-term goals, better coordination between government bodies and greater use of farmers’ knowledge.
- Who
- The Dutch National Ombudsman, Reinier van Zutphen, and farmers.
- What
- The ombudsman says the government was unreliable to farmers and that changing rules and unclear decisions caused uncertainty.
- When
- The report was reported on November 3 and 4, 2026; it examines the past ten years.
- Where
- The Netherlands.
- Why
- Changing rules, conflicting policies and unclear decisions created uncertainty for farms and families.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The ombudsman team held conversations with farmers.
The ombudsman spoke with farmers’ organisations, Natuurmonumenten, scientists and other experts.
The cabinet presented a new nitrogen law, according to NOS, a day before the report.
The report was due to appear on Wednesday, according to RTL Nieuws.
- Farmers interviewed
- 32
- Period of uncertainty examined
- Past ten years
- Farmer conversations began
- 2019
- Expert discussions
- November 2025 to May 2026
- Report outlet dates
- November 3 and 4, 2026
2 sources
What people are saying
Farmers have suffered because of the government's actions and uncertainty about the future. They can only move forward if the government acknowledges what went wrong and what consequences it had.
Farmers' common sense has been ignored too often in recent years.