Relationships between Organic Beef Production and Agro-Ecosystems in Mountain Areas: The Case of Catalan Pyrenees

Marta Teston,Daniel Villalba,Marco Berton,Enrico Sturaro,Maurizio Ramanzin

doi:10.3390/su12219274

Marta Teston, Daniel Villalba + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219274

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Nov 8, 2020
Citations: 3	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Padua, University of Lleida

Abstract

This study analyzed the link between organic beef production and agroecosystems in mountain areas and the potential effects of land use change in eight farms of Catalan Pyrenees with a three step approach: (i) assessment of structural and management features; (ii) comparison of forage productivity and manure loads of 71 farmland parcels in relation with management intensity (natural meadows, seminatural meadows, temporary crops) and, for meadow parcels, with the farmers’ willingness to convert them to temporary crops; (iii) life cycle assessment of the environmental impacts. Each farm managed around 150 ha of pastures and 23 ha of farmland (of which only 5 as temporary crops), and maintained a herd of around 130 livestock units. Forage productivity and manure loads of farmland were modest and extremely variable, and no productive advantages could be predicted from the conversion of meadows to temporary crops. Environmental impacts were mostly related to the on-farm stages, because of low-input management and very high feed self-sufficiency, and the diets used showed very low feed/food competition. These results indicate a balance between organic beef production and management of mountain agroecosystems, which is a key point for sustainability and should be a priority in European policies and strategies.

Highlights

Grassland-based extensive livestock farming systems play a central role in managing and conserving High Natural Value Farmland (HNVF) areas in less productive regions, such as in European mountains [1,2,3,4]
These results indicate a balance between organic beef production and management of mountain agroecosystems, which is a key point for sustainability and should be a priority in European policies and strategies
This study has outlined a set of positive synergies between the production of organic beef and the use of mountain grassland agroecosystems

Summary

Introduction

Grassland-based extensive livestock farming systems play a central role in managing and conserving High Natural Value Farmland (HNVF) areas in less productive regions, such as in European mountains [1,2,3,4]. The ES provided by mountain agroecosystems include, for example, the conservation of grassland habitats and the associated biodiversity, soil carbon storage and health [7,8], or the maintenance of cultural landscape and heritage and the provision of space for recreation and cultural experiences [9,10,11], protection from invasive species [12] and, in Mediterranean regions, protection from forest fires [3,13,14] Often, these extensive grassland-based systems are engaged in the production of typical high-quality products [15,16,17] such as organic beef. In order to overcome these constraints, the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) recognizes the important multifunctional role of extensive livestock systems in delivering positive externalities [26] and provides financial support to maintain pastures and meadows through regional Rural Development Programs, as for example with Agro-Environmental and Climate measure 10 (M10) that, in the Catalonia region of Spain, provides financial incentives to management of pasture and meadows [27]

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