National Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen released a scathing report detailing years of administrative unreliability and policy failures directed at Dutch agricultural producers, leaving operators trapped in regulatory deadlocks and crippling uncertainty. The new report, titled Een boer met kiespijn lacht niet
, concludes that the government has been unreliable toward farmers for the past decade through changing rules, contradictory policies, and unclear decisions.
Between 2019 and May 2026, the ombudsman team conducted interviews with 32 farmers from across the country, representing various sectors including both organic and conventional operations, alongside discussions with agricultural interest groups, nature organizations, scientists, and experts from Rabobank.
The Human and Operational Toll
The resulting instability damaged not only farm operations but also family lives, as work and private matters frequently intertwine for farming households. The investigation outlines how fluctuating regulations regarding nitrogen, manure, nature, water, and animal welfare forced operators to postpone investments and hindered plans for sustainability and innovation.
The report highlights several individual cases of regulatory friction:
- Melkveehouder Jarno Benschop stated he has spent seven years with his fingers caught in a door slammed shut by the government after relying on a PAS-notification uitstootvrijstelling for a stable expansion that later left him facing illegal status.
- A southern pig farmer took on a second full-time job to pay for a low-emission stable, only to discover the facility failed to meet updated environmental requirements.
Farmers face severe consequences for minor reporting errors, such as an arable farmer who received a fine and a 10 percent subsidy reduction after making a mapping mistake on a 140-hectare parcel because cadastral boundaries did not run precisely through the middle of a ditch.
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Government Response and Path Forward
Minister Jaimi van Essen (Agriculture, D66) acknowledged the validity of the criticism, stating, Het klopt, net zoals de Ombudsman constateert dat boeren en tuinders al te lang te maken hebben met voorstellen die te vaak veranderen
and adding that he finds it very unfortunate that operators feel unheard and unseen.
Van Zutphen warned that a new agricultural policy alone will not suffice to win back the sector’s trust, as Boeren hebben geleden onder het handelen van de overheid en de onzekerheid over de toekomst
(Read the full NOS coverage). Minister Van Essen responded that the cabinet intends to do just that through its recently presented nitrogen policy and program, emphasizing that agricultural entrepreneurs need to know where they stand.
