Choosing for not-genetically modified soy results in higher costs for livestock
Friday, December 18, 2015 - 11:31
in Mathematics & Economics
If the Netherlands together with Germany, France, Poland and Hungary would choose for an opt-out of the use of genetically modified (GM) soy in animal feed, then the current use of soy products in animal feed in these five countries must decrease by 40 to 50 percent to ensure that the demand for non-GM soy from the European Union (EU) does not exceed the available amount on the world market. Mid-term (3 to 5 years) additional costs for the Dutch animal husbandry due to more expensive non-GM soy and alternative protein sources, are estimated at €60 to €100m per year, of which about 80 percent for the poultry sector. The number of animals and productivity of the animals is assumed to be not affected.