Does the Netherlands feed the world? Study challenges a familiar view of Dutch agriculture

The Netherlands is a major agricultural exporter. But look beyond euros to land, animal feed, calories and protein, and a different picture emerges. In a study published in Nature Food, researchers at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) conclude that the Dutch contribution to the global food supply through net food exports is far more limited than is often assumed. The study shifts the focus from gross exports to the Netherlands' net contribution to food supply. It looks not only at the products the Netherlands exports, but also at the food, animal feed and agricultural land the country uses through imports from abroad.