Tractors descend on Brussels in farmer protest over plans to limit nitrogen emissions

"Proud to be a farmer," read one such plaque. "The nitrogen agreement as it stands now will cause a socio-economic carnage", agricultural organisations said in a joint statement, adding they want the agreement to better reflect future prospects for the farm sector.

Farmers from Belgium's northern region of Flanders drove thousands of tractors into Brussels on Friday in a protest against a new regional government plan to limit nitrogen emissions.

Local police estimated the amount of tractors clogging the streets of Brussels at 2,700. Many were decorated with big plaques reflecting the farmers' anger. "Proud to be a farmer," read one such plaque.

"The nitrogen agreement as it stands now will cause a socio-economic carnage", agricultural organisations said in a joint statement, adding they want the agreement to better reflect future prospects for the farm sector. "We are all convinced that something has to change nitrogenwise, but the agricultural sector should not be treated differently to the industrial sector", protester Leen Engelen said, referring to one of the disputed points in the draft bill.

Relatively large numbers of livestock and heavy use of fertilizers, as well as traffic and construction, have led to levels of nitrogen oxides in the air and water in both Belgium and the Netherlands that are higher than EU regulations and that threaten the environment. The planned move to limit emissions in Flanders has caused a crisis within the Flemish regional government that was not resolved during 16 hours of talks earlier this week. Belgian media reported Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon wants to make the final decisions by this weekend.

In the Netherlands, farmers have refused to cooperate with the government on measures to limit nitrogen emissions, which would significantly reduce livestock in the country.