July 31, 2023

Dutch intensive livestock farming causes US$9.9 billion damage to health, environment yearly, economist claims

Intensive livestock farming in the Netherlands causes at least €‎9 billion (US$9.9 billion) in damage to health and the environment every year, according to calculations by economist Max van der Sleen for environmental group Mobilization for the Environment (MOB).

That makes the damage caused by livestock farming three times higher than its added value, which amounts to €‎3 billion (US$3.3 billion), according to figures from Wageningen Economic Research, Financieele Dagblad reported.

Van der Sleen's damage calculation is half higher than the previous study. Six years ago, CE Delft concluded that Dutch livestock farming costs Dutch society €‎6 billion (US$6.6 billion) per year. According to the economist, the increase is due to new research providing more clarity on the damage caused by pathogenic particulate matter, acidifying ammonia from manure and the climate effects of greenhouse gases from the agriculture sector.

The economist added that his conclusion of the annual damages is a minimum. He only looked at the costs of damage caused by emissions into the air. Thus, his figures don't include damage caused by agricultural emissions into water, damage caused by the suppliers and processors in the agriculture chain, or delayed construction following the Council of State's nitrogen ruling in 2019.

Van der Sleen and Johan Vollenbroek of MOB told FD that they discussed their findings with officials from the Netherlands' Ministry of Agriculture two months ago.

A ministry spokesperson told FD they couldn't respond to Van der Sleen's calculations, but it is "known that livestock farming in the Netherlands is also associated with negative effects." The spokesperson added that "the agricultural sector also provides us with a lot, although there is no doubt that something has to change in the way of production."

- NL Times