Environmental impacts of dairy system intensification: the functional unit matters!. (1st January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Salou, Thibault; Le Mouël, Chantal; van der Werf, Hayo M.G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 140:Part 2(2017)
• Page Start: 445
• Page End: 454
• Publication Date: 2017-01-01
• Subjects: Functional unit -- Intensification -- Life cycle assessment -- Milk production systems -- Organic agriculture -- Technological management route; AC acidification -- AHC ascendant hierarchical clustering -- C carbon -- CED cumulative energy demand -- CV coefficient of variation -- DM dry matter -- EcoSys ecosystems -- EcoTox freshwater ecotoxicity -- EU eutrophication -- FAMD factorial analysis for mixed data -- FPCM fat and protein corrected milk -- FU functional unit -- G grass-based milk production TMR -- GWP global warming potential -- Ha hectare -- H-AgrB highland milk production system from AGRIBALYSE -- IG intensive grass-based milk production TMR -- IM intensive maize silage-based milk production TMR -- kg kilogramme -- LC land competition -- LCA life cycle assessment -- LCI life cycle inventory -- LUC land use change -- LW live weight -- M maize silage-based milk production TMR -- MJ megajoule -- O organic milk production TMR -- TMR technological management route -- VIM very intensive maize silage-based milk production TMR; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.05.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: In the current context of the end of dairy quotas, the increasing size of dairy farms and the expected growth in food demand, European dairy production systems are facing major challenges. The aim of this study was to assess environmental impacts of dairy system intensification to identify production systems that combine high productivity and low environmental impacts. We used the concept of the Technological Management Route, i.e. a logical set of technical options designed by farmers, to describe the diversity of milk production systems in France. Life Cycle Assessment was used to estimate impacts of these systems according to two functional units: t milk and hectare of total (on- and off-farm) land occupied. Dairy system intensification has three major effects: i) an increase in all impacts when expressed per hectare, ii) a decrease in eutrophication and land occupation per t milk, and iii) no clear effects on other impacts when expressed per t milk. The two first effects are due mostly to the switch from grass-based feed to maize silage and concentrate feed when intensifying production systems. Furthermore, the choice of functional unit leads to radically different conclusions. Using only a mass-based functional unit, which is predominant in current life cycle assessment practice, does not provide a balanced view of the impacts of intensification and could mislead decision makers in identifying promising dairy systems. More generally, current LCA practice seems largely blind to the negative environmental consequences of agricultural system intensification, as revealed by the area-based functional unit. Therefore, we recommend the use of both mass-based and area-based functional units in life cycle assessments of agricultural goods. Highlights: Dairy system intensification increases impacts per unit area occupied. Dairy intensification decreases eutrophication and land occupation per unit product. Dairy intensification did not affect other impacts per unit product. Both mass-based and area-based functional units should be used in agricultural LCAs.