Characterising high intensity livestock systems : identifying indicators of resource use, environmental impact and landscape quality
N. Halberg
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 50, Tjele, 8830 Denmark.
Abstract
The increased resource use and environmental impact of intensive livestock farming systems in Europe has lead to a demand for regulation. It has also lead to a demand for information on the actual impacts of different farming systems on values of interest to a wide range of stakeholders. There is no consensus on how the resource use and environmental impact of intensive farming should be described. This lack of consensus is the result of differences in the: types of environmental problems in different regions of Europe; different levels of focus (e.g. field, farm, water catchment area) and targets (use/user) for whom the description of the environmental consequences of different farming systems is intended.
Thus, when defining indicators one should be very explicit regarding
the normative assumptions made concerning how problematic issues, which are to be described by indicators, re defined,
the stakeholders and interests behind the problems,
for whom the indicators are meant and for what purpose (i.e. farmers, researchers or politicians),
the level of detail that is appropriate for each target group,
the possibility for acting on the basis of the information derived from the indicators (i.e. who can change the indicator values).
Although some attempts have been made to establish a set of key agri-environmental indicators, the suitability of different types of indicators for use at different levels of aggregation and across Europe needs to be further evaluated. The goal of this paper, is thus to:
Argue why a set of indicators on farm level might be a good common reference for the development of indicators on more aggregated levels (regions, farm types etc),
Give an example of a set of indicators selected to describe these aspects at farm level in a form suitable for appraisal by farmers and advisors as well as outsiders,
Discuss different types of indicators that have been used for the environmental appraisal of livestock farms in Europe,
Discuss the limits of the farm level approach and the potential advantages of a better co-ordinating farm level, regional level and EU level indicators of resource use and environmental impact.
The paper will both present and build on results from a project aimed at developing indicators of resource use and environmental impact on Danish livestock farms as part of a decision aid for farmers. On the basis of these results the suitability of different types of indicators will be discussed. A set of indicators for high intensity livestock farms will also be put forward. However, the variation between Danish livestock farms alone highlights the difficulties involved in the establishment of standard values for "typical livestock farming systems".