Von der Leyen was accompanied by Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who initiated the encounter, and Dutch Premier Mark Rutte immediately after the closure of the European Council on Thursday (1 February). Speaking to reporters, De Croo pointed out that agriculture today faces a “lasagna” of issues ranging from the burden of the Green Deal implementation and over-regulation. “Farmers want to be a partner of the climate transition, I have not seen any farmer that does not love nature – they live from nature,” he said, adding that their financial situation is, however, extremely difficu…