Dutch cheese

No matter where you go in the world, people associate The Netherlands with cheese. In fact, Holland is
the #1 cheese exporting nation, produce 650 million kilos of cheese every year. which makes Holland the
largest cheese exporter in the world. On average the Dutch eat 14,3 kilos of cheese per person per year.
Dutch Cheese is popular all over the world because of its high quality, excellent value and pleasing taste
that appeals to everyone's palate. The Netherlands enjoys a favorable climate for dairy farming and its
soil is rich with nutrients from the sea, enabling the Dutch to produce the quantities necessary to
support their enormous cheese export economy.

Between 2008 and 2020, each year the

Netherlands produced more cheese. In
202ß, the most recent available year,
the production volume was meaured at
a record-high 952 thousand metric tons.
According to a recent forecast, cheese
production in the Netherlands is
expected to increase in the near future.
By 2025, the production of cheese in
the country is expected to reach nearly
one billion kilograms.

 Cheese exports 

Although the Dutch are enthusiastic cheese consumers, eating roughly 26 kilograms of cheese per capita
per year, it is impossible for a country of some 17 million inhabitants to eat all that cheese by itself.
Most of the cheese produced in the Netherlands is therefore exported abroad. In 2019, the most
important trading partner for cheese was neighboring country Germany. That year, nearly 284 million
kilograms of cheese were exported to Germany.

Where does the cheese go?

Most of the Dutch cheese exports were destined for other European countries, but a considerable share
of the cheese produced in the Netherlands was also exported to Japan and the United States. Exports to
Japan accounted for roughly four percent of all Dutch cheese exports, whereas two percent of exported
cheese was shipped to the United States.

Here we offer an overview of the Dutch dairy industry, look at trade and consumption, and zoom in on
the sector’s focus on sustainability.

Dutch dairy industry focused on quality and sustainability

Despite the many challenges facing the Dutch dairy industry, the sector remains focused on
sustainability, incentivised both by legislation and by industry initiatives. In 2019 and 2020, the Dutch
livestock industry (and not just the dairy industry) received a lot of attention as farmers protested en
masse against a government proposal to limit nitrogen emissions by halving the country’s livestock.
Tensions eased somewhat once Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Carola Schouten
promised this proposal would not be carried out as long as she would be in charge, but sustainability
remains a top priority for the Dutch livestock sector.The Dutch dairy sector is characterised by quality
systems ensuring best practices in dairy farming, as well as many initiatives to ensure the sector’s
sustainability.

Quality systems

Within the quality systems, animal health is a top priority. Legislation requires dairy farmers to stay on
top of factors such as stable climate and veterinary medicines, but to further promote animal health, the
Dutch dairy sector has imposed extra requirements upon itself. Animal health, for example, is
continuously monitored by the independent Animal Health Service. Furthermore, the dairy sector
requires dairy farmers to cooperate with specialised veterinarians to meet specific quality standards. In
addition, dairy farmers are required to create a ‘health plan’ for their businesses. According to the Dutch
dairy organisation (NZO), this contributes to a healthy dairy herd and high-quality milk.

In addition to animal health, 3 pillars of hygiene, milk production and storage, and supervision support
quality systems for the dairy industry. These pillars not only serve to promote animal health and
welfare, but also aid in upkeeping food safety and in preventing the occurrence of antimicrobial
resistance in dairy herds. Between 2009 and 2018, the use of antibiotics in the Dutch livestock sector
decreased by more than 63%.

Sustainability initiatives

In addition to focusing on animal health and biosecurity, the Dutch dairy sector has a strong focus on
sustainability. This is partially driven by initiatives such as Duurzame Zuivelketen (in Dutch), which focus
on climate-responsible production, animal health and welfare, preservation of outdoor grazing, and
biodiversity and the environment, but it is also driven by initiatives such as PlanetProof.

Under PlanetProof, dairy farmers must comply with general guidelines on milk quality, on-farm safety,
and pasturing (cows must graze for at least 120 hours, 6 hours per day, with a maximum of 10 cows per
hectare of pasture), as well as safeguarding biodiversity (by promoting permanent pasture, reducing the
use of plant protection products, and using locally-produced animal feed), the climate (through
imposing strict requirements on maximum GHG emissions and the mandatory use of green electricity),
animal welfare and health (including monitoring of adult cows and youngstock), and full freedom of
movement for the cow (including cow brushes to care for cows’ skin and increase their comfort).

Trump administration slaps a 25 percent import tax on Dutch cheese

U.S. import taxes to affect half of Dutch cheese.A package of import taxes ordered by the Trump
Administration will affect the prices of half of all Dutch cheese exports to the U.S. Once the tariffs are in
place, Americans can expect to pay 25 percent more when they purchase the cheeses.

Why would anyone do this?

The reason for this tax (apart from Donald’s plan to make spray cheese the official symbol of the US) is
to respond to the illegal subsidy granted by the EU to Airbus, the aircraft manufacturer. According to the
WTO, taxing cheese is an appropriate response.
History of Dutch Cheese:
Cheese making in the Netherlands can be traced back to 400 AD. Cheese markets in the Netherlands
have been operating for hundreds of years, catering to international buyers who come to inspect the
current production of Gouda and Edam. Farmers bring their cheese to the markets where they are
weighed, priced, sampled and sold. Today, some of the traditional cheese markets have been converted
to tourist attractions, while markets in Woerden and Gouda (the town) are still operating as commercial
markets. Cheese museums, such as The Cheese Museum in Alkmaar, are also popular, and provide
evidence of the rich Dutch Cheese making history.

Types of Dutch cheese

Most people have at least heard of Gouda and Edam cheeses, if not tasted them. These two hard, mild
cheeses are named for the towns in which they were originally made and from which they were sold.
But other Dutch cheese types are just as integral to Holland's healthy cheese export economy, and have
some interesting differences in flavor and texture. Some of the other major types of cheeses in Holland
include the following:

Maasdammer – this nutty cheese has large holes and a domed shape. Try a Leerdammer or a Maasdam
when at the cheese shop.

Boerenkaas – This raw milk cheese is, by law, an artisanal cheese: at least half the milk used needs to
come from the farm's cows, and the rest from no more than two other farms.

Goat's Cheese – Goat's cheese in Holland comes in two types: the soft, fresh cheese and a semi-hard,
cured version that is much like Gouda. It's pale with a bit of a tang and a melted texture.

Smoked Cheese – This cheese is made, melted, smoked, and then remolded into a sausage shape. Often
sold by the slice.

Frisian Clove Cheese – Low-fat milk, cumin, and cloves give this firm cheese a hard, dry, and tart taste.

Try cheese tasting and visit the markets

When visiting Holland, tourists are encouraged to try the cheese. Stop by the cheese markets in
Alkmaar, Gouda, or Edam for a reenactment of a medieval cheese market. Take a tour of the outlying
farms, some of which come with a cheese tasting. Or just stop by one of the many cheese shops and try
some yourself. When visiting Amsterdam, stop at the award-winning Reypenaer Tasting Room to learn
about the many cheeses the Reypenaer company makes and their histories.