1989–1990 Dutch farmers' protests

Under the agriculture ministership of Sicco Mansholt, the price that arable farmers in the Netherlands received for cereal grain (in particular wheat) was kept artificially high.

The farmers demanded an end to the price cuts, a national incentive plan for arable farming, and reasonable environmental measures.

[4] After a debate in the House of Representatives about the government budget, in which a majority expressed support for the agricultural plans of Minister Braks, a number of farmers from Zeeland called on fellow grain growers to take their tractors to The Hague to protest in support of a motion by D66 MP Pieter ter Veer.

In the night of 19 to 20 February, however, a low-loader with three tractors from Groningen managed to arrive unhindered at the Binnenhof, which was then barricaded by the owners of the vehicles.

On 7 March, farmers blocked access to the airports of Eelde and Lelystad, as well as the waste treatment plant Rijnmond in Rotterdam and the Rabobank head offices in Utrecht.

He sent a fax to the farmers' action center and one to Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers: a series of graphs and tables showing that only a wheat price increase in combination with production reduction would offer a solution.

[6] In the end, the path to market-compatible Dutch agriculture would gradually resume, which would result in varying advantages and disadvantages for the farmers.