Dependence must be reduced, but Europe cannot do without soy imports

Published 2021년 6월 5일

Tridge summary

The article highlights the critical role of soy imports from South America in driving deforestation, with the Netherlands being a top contributor due to its high meat and dairy production. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) points out that not all Dutch animal feed is deforestation-free, despite claims to the contrary. The European Union's reliance on soy for animal feed is vast, with only 5% self-sufficiency, and efforts are underway to increase home-grown protein production to decrease reliance on imports and reduce environmental impact. However, concerns are raised about the efficiency and environmental impact of replacing soy with other protein sources, such as legumes or grains. Additionally, the article discusses the benefits of soy from South America for the environment due to optimal climatic conditions, despite longer transport distances, and suggests that banning animal meal in chicken feed could help reduce import reliance.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

And outgoing agriculture minister Carola Schouten also thinks that Europe cannot do without soya from South America. 'Soy is not easy to replace from a commercial perspective.' It happened again in mid-April: 'The Netherlands is a major European driver of deforestation', reported NOS, among others. The source was a new report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with the main conclusion: soy imports from South America have a major impact on the rainforest. Soybean meal, that which is left over from soy after the extraction of oil from soybeans, is an important component in European animal feed. China is the biggest culprit, according to WWF, followed by Europe and India. Within Europe, the Netherlands is in the top five, because Dutch farmers simply produce a lot of meat and dairy. Criticism of WWF's conclusions WWF's findings were met with a lot of criticism. Nevedi director Henk Flipsen reacted indignantly: 'We have been working with WWF since 2006 to combat deforestation. Since ...

Source: Nieuwe Oogst