Ökobilanz von Rind-, Schweine- und Geflügelfleisch aus konventionellen, tierfreundlichen und biologischen Produktionssystemen

The study compared the environmental impacts of different production systems (conventional, increased animal welfare label and organic) for beef, pork and chicken meat at the farm gate using model farms based on Swiss real farm data. Results showed that feeding and feed production had a high influence, particularly for monogastric animals. Organic farming had lower mineral resource use and ecotoxicity due to the ban of mineral fertilisers and pesticides but had a lower productivity per area, which influenced several impact categories such as eutrophication and land use negatively when expressed per kg live weight. Fundamentally, most of the decisive parameters for the environmental impacts of a production system turned out to be generally valid for both conventional and organic production

Feed-food and land use competition of lowland and mountain dairy cow farms

Dairy cows and other ruminants contribute to human nutrition as they are able to convert feed components containing human inedible fibre concentrations (e.g. roughage and by-products from the food processing industry) into valuable animal-sourced food. A number of crops often fed to dairy cows (e.g. soy or cereals) are however potentially edible by humans too. Additionally, land used to grow dairy cattle feed on may compete with crop production for human consumption. Two different methods to assess the competition between feed consumption of dairy cows and human food supply were thus refined and tested on 25 Swiss dairy farms. With respect to the potential human edibility of the feeds used in dairy production, the human edible feed conversion ratio (eFCR) was applied. The land use ratio (LUR) was used to relate the food production potential, per area of land utilized, with the dairy production output. Low to medium eFCR, with values ranging from 0.02 to 0.68 were found, as an average proportion of 0.74 of total DM intake consisted of roughage. In contrast, we found relatively high LUR (0.69 to 5.93) for most farms. If the land area used to produce feed for cows was used for crop production (applying a crop rotation), 23 of the 25 farms could have produced more edible protein and all farms more human edible energy. Indicator values strongly depend on the underlying scenarios, such as the human edible proportion of feeds or the suitability of land and climate for crop production. Reducing the amount of human edible feeds in dairy farming by feeding by-products from the food processing industry and improving forage quality may be suitable strategies to reduce eFCR, but relying on low-opportunity cost feeds may restrict milk performance level per cow. On farm level, improving overall efficiency and therefore using less land (especially area suitable for crop production) per kg product decreases LUR. However, the most promising strategy to mitigate land use competition may be to localize dairy production to land areas not suitable for crop production. Both methods (eFCR and LUR) should be used in parallel. They offer an opportunity to holistically evaluate the net contribution of dairy production to the human food supply under different environmental conditions and stress the importance of production systems well suited to specific farm site characteristics

Allocation of environmental burdens in dairy systems: Expanding a biophysical approach for application to larger meat-to-milk ratios

The dairy sector is urged to reduce environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. But dairy farms not only produce milk: surplus calves and culled cows also yield meat as co-product. To split environmental impacts between milk and meat, a biophysical allocation method proposed by the International Dairy Federation (IDF) is currently used. Its applicability to farms with large meat-to-milk output ratios (beef-to-milk ratio, BMR) may be limited and lead to wrong conclusions when assessing GHG emissions and mitigation measures at farm level. To overcome these limitations, we developed a biophysical allocation approach based on the net energy requirement for milk and meat production according to internationally agreed energy requirements for dairy cows. Both the enhanced and the existing allocation methods were tested on an international dataset that included farms with a large range of BMR, as can be found in dual-purpose production systems or on farms with low milk productivity. The results from the international dataset reveal that the allocation factor does not substantially change for production systems with low BMR. For BMR up to 0.03 kg live weight (LW)/kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM), the maximum deviation in the allocation factor between the two methods was 0.047. For larger BMR, the developed method still allocated relevant shares of emissions to meat while the standard approach did not. The developed method is less sensitive to shifts in BMR, especially for low-performing dairy farms. In addition, both methods were tested on a dataset of 46 Swiss dairy farms. By increasing the longevity of cows (one additional lactation), the impacts of altered BMR on the modelled GHG emissions and their allocation on milk and meat could be assessed. Increased longevity resulted in fewer cows to be replaced, decreased emissions from the rearing of replacement stock (-444 kg CO2-equivalents/cow/year) and lower meat output (-61 kg LW/cow/year), as fewer cows were culled. Consequently, a larger share of emissions was allocated to milk. While the standard biophysical allocation approach did not result in reduced GHG emissions per kg of milk (+0.002 kg CO2-equivalents/kg FPCM), the newly developed approach generated a modest (-0.022 kg CO2-equivalents/kg FPCM), although not significant reduction. The effects of GHG mitigation measures that affect BMR are thus represented more accurately than when applying the standard approach. Based on the presented data, we encourage the revision of currently used international standards for allocating environmental impacts to milk and meat

Using LCA data for agri-environmental policy analysis at sector level

In times of limited agricultural budgets, the cost-effectiveness of the policies becomes a major decision criterion for policy reforms. For comprehensively assessing the effects of an agrienvironmental policy environmental data has to be scaled up to sector level, taking into account uptake rates and transaction costs of the policies. This paper discusses the general suitability of LCA data to be upscaled and combined with economic sector models. We present an approach that is based on the representative farm-group model FARMIS and the Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessments (SALCA). Exemplary results of the model for energy use are shown and most prominent issues in the context of this upscaling process are discussed. The paper argues that uptake-effect functions will not necessarily be linear. Furthermore, the combination of normative and positive datasets causes inconsistencies which need to be minimised. Finally, we argue differences between the life-cycle view and the economist’s perspective lead to difficulties in the interpretation of the results. Nevertheless, this approach may deliver plausible results and can supplement ecological site-specific studies in the evaluation of agri-environmental policies

Resource use in a low-input organic vegetable food supply system in UK - a case study

Use of local renewable resources in a low-input organic vegetable food supply system in UK is evaluated against the use of imported resources in the same system. Despite much focus by the farmer on low-input, the production and distribution system is only supported by 13% local renewable resources based on an emergy assessment. Future sustainability of such systems are discussed

Vergleich der Ökobilanzen von stall- und weidebasierter Milchproduktion

Klimaschutz, Umweltschutz und der Verbrauch von knappen Ressourcen sind Stichworte mit welchen sich die Schweizer Milchwirtschaftsbetriebe vermehrt beschäf-tigen müssen. Im Rahmen des Systemvergleichs Milch-produktion Hohenrain konnte mit der Ökobilanzmethode Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment (SALCA) eine umfassende Betrachtung der Umweltwirkungen durchge-führt werden. Dazu wurden die ökologischen Stärken und Schwächen der beiden Systeme saisonale Vollweide und Stallfütterung einander gegenübergestellt. Die Stallherde ist in drei von 13 Wirkungs-kategorien deutlich besser als die Weide-herde-SILO. Im Gegenzug schneidet die Weideherde-SILO in sieben von 13 Wirkungs-kategorien besser ab. Eine wesentliche Schwäche der Weideherde ist der höhere Methanausstoss pro kg energiekorrigierte Milch (+ 41 %) und der 1,5 mal höhere Flächenbedarf pro kg energiekorrigierte Milch. Die Stallherde hat ihre grössten Schwächen in der Abholzung von Wald, dem Ressourcenbedarf an Phosphor und Kalium und der Ökotoxizität. Wichtigste Verursacher für das schlechte Abschneiden in diesen Kategorien sind der Mais und das Sojaschrot.Protezione del clima, protezione dell’ambiente e l’uso di risorse che scarseggiano sono le parole chiave con cui le aziende svizzere produttrici di latte sono obbligate a confrontarsi maggiormente. Nell’ambito del progetto «Confronto di sistemi di produzione lattifera Hohenrain», con il metodo d’analisi del ciclo di vita SALCA (Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment) si è effettuata una valutazione completa degli impatti ambientali della produzione di latte. A questo scopo si sono confrontate le forze e debolezze ecologiche di due sistemi; uno basato sul pascolo, l’altro sull’alimentazione in stalla. La mandria alimentata in stalla in tre categorie di impatto su 13 risulta essere significati-vamente migliore rispetto alla mandria alimentata al pascolo-SILO. Per contro la mandria alimentata al pascolo-SILO ottiene risultati migliori in sette categorie d’impatto su 13. Una delle principali debolezze di quest’ultima è la maggiore emissione di metano (+ 41 %) e l’elevato bisogno di superficie (x 1,5) per kg di latte corretto per il contenuto energetico (ECM).I punti deboli della mandria alimentata in stalla sono rappresentati dal disbosca-mento, il consumo di risorse (fosforo e potassio) e l’ecotossicità, dovute principalmente alla sua alimentazione con mais e soja.Swiss dairy farms must increasingly cope with climate protection, environ-mental conservation and the use of limited resources.In the context of the Hohenrain comparison of dairy production systems, a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impacts was conducted using the Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment method. The environmental strengths and weak-nesses of seasonal full-pasture and indoor feeding systems were com-pared.The indoor herd performed signifi-cantly better than the pasture herd in three of thirteen impact categories. In contrast, the pasture herd performed better in seven of thirteen impact categories. A considerable weakness in the pasture herd was its higher methane emissions per kilogram of energy-corrected milk and the one-and-a-half times greater land require-ment per kilogram of energy-corrected milk. The indoor herd had its main weaknesses in deforestation, the phosphorous and potassium resource requirements and higher ecotoxicity. The main causes for poor performance in these categories were maize and soybean meal

The ecoinvent Database: Overview and Methodological Framework (7 pp)

Introduction: This paper provides an overview on the content of the ecoinvent database and of selected metholodogical issues applied on the life cycle inventories implemented in the ecoinvent database. Goal, Scope and Background: In the year 2000, several Swiss Federal Offices and research institutes of the ETH domain agreed to a joint effort to harmonise and update life cycle inventory (LCI) data for its use in life cycle assessment (LCA). With the ecoinvent data-base and its actual data v1.1, a consistent set of more than 2'500 product and service LCIs is now available. Method: Nearly all process datasets are transparently documented on the level of unit process inputs and outputs. Methodological approaches have been applied consistently throughout the entire database content and thus guarantee for a coherent set of LCI data. This is particularly true for market and trade modelling (see, for example, electricity modelling), for the treatment of multi-out-put and of recycling processes, but also for the recording and reporting of elementary flows. The differentiation of diameter size for particulate matter emissions, for instance, allows for a more comprehensive impact assessment of human health effects. Data quality is quantitatively reported in terms of standard deviations of the amounts of input and output flows. In many cases qualitative indicators are reported additionally on the level of each individual input and output. The information sources used vary from extensive statistical works to individual (point) measurements or assumptions derived from process descriptions. However, all datasets passed the same quality control procedure and all information relevant and necessary to judge the suitability of a dataset in a certain context are provided in the database. Data documentation and exchange is based on the EcoSpold data format, which complies with the technical specification ISO/TS 14048. Free access to process information via the Internet helps the user to judge the appropriateness of a dataset. Concluding Remarks: The existence of the ecoinvent database proves that it is possible and feasible to build up a large interlinked system of LCI unit processes. The project work proved to be demanding in terms of co-ordination efforts required and consent identification. One main characteristic of the database is its transparency in reporting to enable individual assessment of data appropriateness and to support the plurality in methodological approaches. Outlook: Further work on the ecoinvent database may comprise work on the database content (new or more detailed data-sets covering existing or new economic sectors), LCI (modelling) methodology, the structure and features of the data-base system (e.g. extension of Monte Carlo simulation to the impact assessment phase) or improvements in eco-invent data supply and data query. Furthermore, the deepening and building up of international co-operations in LCI data collection and supply is in the focus of future activitie

Urban greenhouse covering materials: assessing environmental impacts and crop yields effects

Solar radiation transmissivity in greenhouses is a key property largely determined by covering materials. This study compared tomato crop yields and their environmental performance of a polycarbonate rooftop greenhouse with alternative covering materials displaying higher solar transmissivity and lifetime performance. An integrated approach using experimental data with structural, energy modeling was used to model average lifetime crop productivities. At building functional unit (per m2·year), impacts varied between -29.0% and +24.0% compared to the current polycarbonate. Lifetime transmissivities improved up to 20.5% (4 mm-antireflective glass), leading to +46.6% of tomato yields (19.9 ± 2.2 kg/m2), and up to -33.9% of environmental impacts. Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene 60 µm-film resulted in 19.2 ± 2.3 kg tomatoes/m2 but improved environmental performance up to 41.7%. These results demonstrate the importance of employing integrated and life-cycle approaches to combine multiple trade-offs and dynamics within environmental assessments of greenhouse crops. The results are intended to contribute to improving greenhouse cultivation and sustainability.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Christian Schader et al.: A Modelling Approach for Evaluating Agri-Environmental Policies at Sector Level. Yearbook of Socioeconomics in Agriculture A Modelling Approach for Evaluating Agri-Environmental Policies at Sector Level

This paper presents a new approach to evaluate the cost effectiveness of agri-environmental policies at sector level. Policy uptake, cumulative environmental effects and public expenditure are identified as the main determinants of cost-effectiveness. On the basis of the sector-consistent, comparative-static, farm group model FARMIS, the determinants of policy cost-effectiveness at sector level are addressed. Firstly, intensity levels for the FARMIS activities are defined in order to model uptake of agri-environmental policies with FARMIS, secondly, life-cycle assessment data is attached to these intensity levels to determine environmental effects of the policies and thirdly, public expenditure is calculated under consideration of transaction costs. This paper concludes delineating the strengths and limitations of the approach

Operationalising emission and toxicity modelling of pesticides in LCA: the OLCA-Pest project contribution

Purpose Current field emission modelling and toxicity characterisation of pesticides suffer from several shortcomings like mismatches between LCI databases and LCIA methods, missing characterisation factors, missing environmental compartments, and environmental impact pathways. The OLCA-Pest project was implemented to address these aspects and to operationalise the assessment of pesticides in LCA. Based on this effort, we propose an approach to integrate pesticide emissions into LCI databases. Methods The PestLCI Consensus Model has been developed in order to estimate emission fractions to different environmental compartments. The initial distribution fractions should be linked to the compartments air, agricultural soil, natural soil, and freshwater. Emissions to off-field surfaces are hereby distributed between agricultural soil, natural soil, and freshwater by using surface cover data. Deposition on the crop surface should be recorded in an emission compartment crop with 13 sub-compartments for crop archetypes for both food and non-food uses. Default emission fractions are provided to calculate the emission fractions for different pesticide application scenarios. Results and discussion A sensitivity analysis shows the effects of the application technique, drift reduction, crop and development stage, field width, and buffer zone on the initial distribution fractions of field-applied pesticides. Recommendations are given for the implementation of a set of default initial distribution fractions into LCI databases, for the organisation of metadata, and for the modelling of pesticide residues in food along the supply chain (processing, storage). Priorities for further research are: improving the modelling of pesticide secondary emissions, further extending emission modeling (e.g. additional application techniques, including cover crops), considering metal-based pesticides in emission models, and systematically assessing human health impacts associated with pesticide residues in food crops. Conclusions The proposed approach allows to preserve the mass balance of the pesticide emitted after application, to make a consistent assessment of ecotoxicity and human toxicity, to define a clear and consistent interface between the LCI and LCIA phases, to estimate initial emission distribution fractions based on existing data, to document metadata transparently and efficiently within crop datasets, and to model the removal of pesticide residues in food during processing.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio