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Factors Affecting Global versus Local Environmental and Economic Performance of Dairying: A Case Study of Swiss Mountain Farms

Author

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  • Nina Repar

    (Farm Economics Research Group, Agroscope, Research Division Competitiveness and System Evaluation, Tänikon 1, 8356 Ettenhausen, Switzerland
    Computer Applications and Business Management in Agriculture, Institute of Farm Management, University of Hohenheim, Schloß, Osthof-Süd, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany)

  • Pierrick Jan

    (Farm Economics Research Group, Agroscope, Research Division Competitiveness and System Evaluation, Tänikon 1, 8356 Ettenhausen, Switzerland)

  • Thomas Nemecek

    (Life Cycle Assessment Research Group, Agroscope, Research Division Agroecology and Environment, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Dunja Dux

    (Farm Economics Research Group, Agroscope, Research Division Competitiveness and System Evaluation, Tänikon 1, 8356 Ettenhausen, Switzerland)

  • Reiner Doluschitz

    (Computer Applications and Business Management in Agriculture, Institute of Farm Management, University of Hohenheim, Schloß, Osthof-Süd, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany)

Abstract

Improving the sustainability of the dairy food chain requires a simultaneous improvement in global and local environmental performance, as well as in the economic performance of dairy farms. We investigated the effect of different structural, farm management, socio-demographic, technological and natural-environment-related factors on the economic and environmental performance of dairying. Our analysis relied on a case study of 56 Swiss alpine dairy farm observations, for which cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessments and farm accountancy data were combined. The data refer to the years 2006 to 2008. The effect of the selected factors on farms’ economic and environmental performance was analysed by means of non-parametric statistical approaches. The results revealed the existence of some factors presenting synergies and several factors showing trade-offs in the enhancement of farm global environmental, local environmental and economic performance. More generally, the promotion of farm global environmental performance and farm economic performance was shown to be synergetic whereas the enhancement of farm global and local environmental performance turned out to be mostly antinomic. However, some factors, namely organic farming, higher agricultural education, silage-free milk production, and also, to a weaker extent, full-time farming, larger farm size and lower intensity of cattle concentrates use, showed a potential to bring simultaneous improvements in the global and local environmental performance as well as the economic performance of dairy farming. Policy-makers should be aware of the complexity of the joint improvement of farm economic and environmental performance and only promote factors capable of synergistically enhancing the environmental and economic performance of dairy farming.

Suggested Citation

  • Nina Repar & Pierrick Jan & Thomas Nemecek & Dunja Dux & Reiner Doluschitz, 2018. "Factors Affecting Global versus Local Environmental and Economic Performance of Dairying: A Case Study of Swiss Mountain Farms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-21, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:8:p:2940-:d:164512
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pierrick Jan & Markus Lips & Michel Dumondel, 2011. "Synergies and trade-offs in the promotion of the economic and environmental performance of Swiss dairy farms in the mountain area," Journal of Socio-Economics in Agriculture (Until 2015: Yearbook of Socioeconomics in Agriculture), Swiss Society for Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, vol. 4(1), pages 135-161.
    2. Pierrick Jan & Markus Lips & Michel Dumondel, 2012. "Total factor productivity change of Swiss dairy farms in the mountain region in the period 1999 to 2008," Review of Agricultural and Environmental Studies - Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et Environnement, INRA Department of Economics, vol. 93(3), pages 273-298.
    3. Anders Bjørn & Michael Z. Hauschild, 2013. "Absolute versus Relative Environmental Sustainability," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(2), pages 321-332, April.
    4. Thomassen, M.A. & van Calker, K.J. & Smits, M.C.J. & Iepema, G.L. & de Boer, I.J.M., 2008. "Life cycle assessment of conventional and organic milk production in the Netherlands," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 96(1-3), pages 95-107, March.
    5. Nina Repar & Pierrick Jan & Thomas Nemecek & Dunja Dux & Martina Alig Ceesay & Reiner Doluschitz, 2016. "Local versus Global Environmental Performance of Dairying and Their Link to Economic Performance: A Case Study of Swiss Mountain Farms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Jan, Pierrick, 2012. "Total factor productivity change of Swiss dairy farms in the mountain region in the period 1999 to 2008," Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et Environnement, Editions NecPlus, vol. 93(03), pages 273-298, September.
    7. Basset-Mens, Claudine & Ledgard, Stewart & Boyes, Mark, 2009. "Eco-efficiency of intensification scenarios for milk production in New Zealand," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1615-1625, April.
    8. Jan, Pierrick & Lips, Markus, 2012. "Total factor productivity change of Swiss dairy farms in the mountain region in the period 1999 to 2008," Review of Agricultural and Environmental Studies - Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et Environnement (RAEStud), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), vol. 93(3).
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    2. Maria Zuba-Ciszewska & Aleksandra Kowalska & Aneta Brodziak & Louise Manning, 2023. "Organic Milk Production Sector in Poland: Driving the Potential to Meet Future Market, Societal and Environmental Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-21, June.
    3. Alba Vázquez-López & Martín Barrasa-Rioja & Manuel Marey-Perez, 2021. "ICT in Rural Areas from the Perspective of Dairy Farming: A Systematic Review," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Tomas Baležentis & Aistė Galnaitytė & Irena Kriščiukaitienė & Virginia Namiotko & Lina Novickytė & Dalia Streimikiene & Rasa Melnikiene, 2019. "Decomposing Dynamics in the Farm Profitability: An Application of Index Decomposition Analysis to Lithuanian FADN Sample," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-15, May.

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