The Dutch dairy sector, the fifth largest exporter of dairy in the world, is contributing to poor air quality and phosphate contamination in the Netherlands due to the illegal dumping of cow excrement by farmers. Approximately 80% of Dutch farms produce more manure than they can legally use, and farmers pay €550m ($686m) a year for its removal. However, a recently exposed fraud showed that many were now disposing of the waste on their fields. To address the problem, the Wageningen University is now calling for a 40% reduction in the number of cows over the next ten years.
The Dutch dairy sector, the fifth largest exporter of dairy in the world, is contributing to poor air quality and phosphate contamination in the Netherlands due to the illegal dumping of cow excrement by farmers. Approximately 80% of Dutch farms produce more manure than they can legally use, and farmers pay €550m ($686m) a year for its removal. However, a recently exposed fraud showed that many were now disposing of the waste on their fields. To address the problem, the WWF is now calling for a 40% reduction in the number of cows over the next ten years.