Practice Hubs

Supporting holistic evaluation

PATHWAYS designs future scenarios and pathways for sustainable livestock husbandry and food systems by facilitating dialogues with farmers in Practice Hubs all over Europe.

In these national Practice Hubs, farmers discuss ideas and innovations, are given the option of testing innovations in Living Labs and feed their ideas to other stakeholders from farm to fork to support sustainable livestock production and consumption.

Legend

100% pasture-fed cow-calf dairy systems

The group put animal welfare and harmonious integration of livestock into their farming systems at the centre of their preoccupation. It has developed own voluntary standards that include among others that all young animals are reared in a mother-calf-rearing system.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Conventional

Size

10

Innovation Interests
  • Techniques and ways to establish on-farm slaughtering
  • Market access for animal friendly meat
Industry partner
Facilitator

Management for maximisation of carbon sequestration in pasture

Practice Hub farmers are unacquainted and focused on management of carbon in grasslands. Calves on grass in 2-3 farms.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Niche, Intensive

Size

15-20

Innovation Interests
  • Carbon sequestration in permanent grassland
  • Grassland management
  • Only grass feed
Industry partner
Facilitator

Dairy in agroforestry system for self-sufficiency in protein-based feed

Extensive systems in mountain area with high biodiversity and resilient system, social problems resolve with use sustainable agriculture systems.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Niche, Extensive

Size

15-20

Innovation Interests
  • Quality products
  • Market organizing aspects
Industry partner
Facilitator

More-from-less dairy systems utilising on-farm advice and carbon foot-printing tool

Practice Hub is a new group, but several knew each other beforehand. Arla will begin a sustainability/marketing work on conventional farmers where this group can be used. Skilled entrepreneurs, curious, happy to discuss with others.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Mainstream, Intensive

Size

7

Innovation Interests

Animal welfare in large herds

Industry partner
Facilitator

Conventional pig farm utilising manure for biogas

Practice Hub involves innovation from coop (Cooperl) for the management of pig slurry with frequent removal from building and separation liquid/solid. And use of solid in biogas unit with transformation of the digestant in fertiliser.

OECD Area of Innovation

Products

System Type

Intensive, Niche

Size

100

Innovation Interests
  • Circular economy
  • Reduction of NH3, GHG
  • Renewable production of mineral fertilizer
Industry partner
Facilitator

Green protein for pig farming

Young and old innovative organic pig farmers, interesting breeding including trees in the paddocks, feeding with green protein and sustainability. Organic farmers utilising “green-protein” from grass/clover working with feed company and refinery.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Intensive, Niche

Size

6

Innovation Interests
  • Animal welfare
  • More time outdoors
  • % castration
  • More trees
  • Regulation / solar cells; new buildings
Industry partner
Facilitator

More-from-less production system with optimised diets and housing with ammonia capture

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Mainstream, Intensive

Industry partner
Facilitator

Conventional pig production with innovative flooring and biodiversity focus

Practice Hub members from Wroetvarken, active for 20 years. Hub is slowly growing to 17 farmers.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Intensive, Niche

Size

5

Innovation Interests

Closed cycles

Industry partner
Facilitator

100% pasture-fed beef systems utilising mob grazing, herbal leys and mobile slaughterhouses and Community Supported Agriculture

Practice Hub farmer members are either certified or on way to certification of Pasture for Life; all based in South England + Wales (lowland), huge range and backgrounds + skills

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Conventional

Size

14

Innovation Interests
  • 100% pasture fed beef community-supported agriculture
  • Mobile slaughterhouses
  • Mob grazing particular focus
Industry partner
Facilitator

New breeding methodology for “mountain pasture” with own certification/label development

Practice Hub is based on the existing Italian Grassfed Association. Farmers are very much engaged in the system but were mainly focused on what is wrong with public authority, policy, etc. The association extended to sheep and goat but remains mostly beef.

OECD Area of Innovation

Marketing

System Type

Mainstream, Extensive

Size

20

Innovation Interests
  • Traceability
  • Block chains
Industry partner
Facilitator

Quality assured production system for beef and sheep on high nature value semi-natural pastures together with label development

Naturbeteskött, an NGO with members who are both farmers, consumers and industry representatives, all with an interest in producing, marketing and consuming beef and lamb from semi-natural grasslands. This practice hub showcases grazing on high nature value (HNV) grasslands. The NGO promotes quality assured beef and lamb.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Conventional

Size

8-10

Innovation Interests
  • Sustainable meat production that brings biodiversity to the table
  • Market access
Industry partner
Facilitator

Agri-tech innovation for improved welfare

Practice Hub is based members of Association of Poultry Breeders and Egg Producers from the Gdansnk area focusing on value chain organisation, education and training helping policy makers to assess regulations.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Mainstream

Size

30

Innovation Interests
  • Increasing welfare by feeding optimally
  • Processing innovation, low impact on environment
  • Decrease NH3 emissions
Industry partner
Facilitator

Farmer cooperative producing and sharing compost from plant-based litter

Practice Hub involves the cooperative Fertil’Eveil that created a composting plant back in 2007. In 2011, they started a litter production plant to standardise and integrate the composting process. In 2018, they opened a second composting platform and in 2022, a third.

OECD Area of Innovation

Products

System Type

Niche, Intensive

Size

150

Innovation Interests
  • Assess the impact of the litter (welfare, etc.)
  • Assess the impact of the composting process on soil
Industry partner
Facilitator

Closed-loop egg production feeding food processing waste and recycling manure

Practice Hub consists of 3 innovative farmers that each have their own story; the common theme is that they are looking for new methods to produce eggs within societal boundaries.

OECD Area of Innovation

Production technique

System Type

Mainstream, Intensive

Size

3

Innovation Interests
  • Circularity
  • Emotions of animals
  • Consumer interests
Industry partner
Facilitator

Dehesa Mediterranean system of sheep rearing in silvopasture with different input levels

Practice Hub involves Corsevilla, a cooperative in the southwest of Spain that collects sheep and lambs from the farms and commercialises them. This hub is focused on Dehesa sheep with different input levels.

OECD Area of Innovation

Marketing

System Type

Niche, Extensive

Size

8-9

Innovation Interests

Reduce health issues (respiratory/digestive during the early in life)

Industry partner
Facilitator

Tool decision-making for dairy goats

Practice Hub involves CapriGran Goat Farmers aiming to use an animal data processing tool to increase the efficiency of resource management in dairy goats.

OECD Area of Innovation

Organisation

System Type

Mainstream, Intensive

Size

3

Innovation Interests

Improve nutrition management and welfare

Industry partner
Facilitator
All Practice Hubs listed

Supporting holistic evaluation

PATHWAYS designs future scenarios and pathways for sustainable livestock husbandry and food systems by facilitating dialogues with farmers in Practice Hubs all over Europe.

In these national Practice Hubs, farmers discuss ideas and innovations, are given the option of testing innovations in Living Labs and feed their ideas to other stakeholders from farm to fork to support sustainable livestock production and consumption.

100% pasture-fed cow-calf dairy systems

The group put animal welfare and harmonious integration of livestock into their farming systems at the centre of their preoccupation. It has developed own voluntary standards that include among others that all young animals are reared in a mother-calf-rearing system.

Innovation Interests
  • Techniques and ways to establish on-farm slaughtering
  • Market access for animal friendly meat
OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Conventional

Size

10

Country

Germany

Industry partner
Facilitator

Management for maximisation of carbon sequestration in pasture

Practice Hub farmers are unacquainted and focused on management of carbon in grasslands. Calves on grass in 2-3 farms.

Innovation Interests
  • Carbon sequestration in permanent grassland
  • Grassland management
  • Only grass feed
OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Niche, Intensive

Size

15-20

Country

France

Industry partner
Facilitator

Dairy in agroforestry system for self-sufficiency in protein-based feed

Extensive systems in mountain area with high biodiversity and resilient system, social problems resolve with use sustainable agriculture systems.

Innovation Interests
  • Quality products
  • Market organizing aspects
OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Niche, Extensive

Size

15-20

Country

Romania

Industry partner
Facilitator

More-from-less dairy systems utilising on-farm advice and carbon foot-printing tool

Practice Hub is a new group, but several knew each other beforehand. Arla will begin a sustainability/marketing work on conventional farmers where this group can be used. Skilled entrepreneurs, curious, happy to discuss with others.

Innovation Interests

Animal welfare in large herds

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Mainstream, Intensive

Size

7

Country

Sweden

Industry partner
Facilitator

Conventional pig farm utilising manure for biogas

Practice Hub involves innovation from coop (Cooperl) for the management of pig slurry with frequent removal from building and separation liquid/solid. And use of solid in biogas unit with transformation of the digestant in fertiliser.

Innovation Interests
  • Circular economy
  • Reduction of NH3, GHG
  • Renewable production of mineral fertilizer
OECD Area of Innovation

Products

System Type

Intensive, Niche

Size

100

Country

France

Industry partner
Facilitator

Green protein for pig farming

Young and old innovative organic pig farmers, interesting breeding including trees in the paddocks, feeding with green protein and sustainability. Organic farmers utilising “green-protein” from grass/clover working with feed company and refinery.

Innovation Interests
  • Animal welfare
  • More time outdoors
  • % castration
  • More trees
  • Regulation / solar cells; new buildings
OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Intensive, Niche

Size

6

Country

Denmark

Industry partner
Facilitator

More-from-less production system with optimised diets and housing with ammonia capture

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Mainstream, Intensive

Country

Denmark

Industry partner
Facilitator

Conventional pig production with innovative flooring and biodiversity focus

Practice Hub members from Wroetvarken, active for 20 years. Hub is slowly growing to 17 farmers.

Innovation Interests

Closed cycles

OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Intensive, Niche

Size

5

Country

The Netherlands

Industry partner
Facilitator

100% pasture-fed beef systems utilising mob grazing, herbal leys and mobile slaughterhouses and Community Supported Agriculture

Practice Hub farmer members are either certified or on way to certification of Pasture for Life; all based in South England + Wales (lowland), huge range and backgrounds + skills

Innovation Interests
  • 100% pasture fed beef community-supported agriculture
  • Mobile slaughterhouses
  • Mob grazing particular focus
OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Conventional

Size

14

Country

UK

Industry partner
Facilitator

New breeding methodology for “mountain pasture” with own certification/label development

Practice Hub is based on the existing Italian Grassfed Association. Farmers are very much engaged in the system but were mainly focused on what is wrong with public authority, policy, etc. The association extended to sheep and goat but remains mostly beef.

Innovation Interests
  • Traceability
  • Block chains
OECD Area of Innovation

Marketing

System Type

Mainstream, Extensive

Size

20

Country

Italy

Industry partner
Facilitator

Quality assured production system for beef and sheep on high nature value semi-natural pastures together with label development

Naturbeteskött, an NGO with members who are both farmers, consumers and industry representatives, all with an interest in producing, marketing and consuming beef and lamb from semi-natural grasslands. This practice hub showcases grazing on high nature value (HNV) grasslands. The NGO promotes quality assured beef and lamb.

Innovation Interests
  • Sustainable meat production that brings biodiversity to the table
  • Market access
OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Conventional

Size

8-10

Country

Sweden

Industry partner
Facilitator

Agri-tech innovation for improved welfare

Practice Hub is based members of Association of Poultry Breeders and Egg Producers from the Gdansnk area focusing on value chain organisation, education and training helping policy makers to assess regulations.

Innovation Interests
  • Increasing welfare by feeding optimally
  • Processing innovation, low impact on environment
  • Decrease NH3 emissions
OECD Area of Innovation

Production techniques

System Type

Mainstream

Size

30

Country

Poland

Industry partner
Facilitator

Farmer cooperative producing and sharing compost from plant-based litter

Practice Hub involves the cooperative Fertil’Eveil that created a composting plant back in 2007. In 2011, they started a litter production plant to standardise and integrate the composting process. In 2018, they opened a second composting platform and in 2022, a third.

Innovation Interests
  • Assess the impact of the litter (welfare, etc.)
  • Assess the impact of the composting process on soil
OECD Area of Innovation

Products

System Type

Niche, Intensive

Size

150

Country

France

Industry partner
Facilitator

Closed-loop egg production feeding food processing waste and recycling manure

Practice Hub consists of 3 innovative farmers that each have their own story; the common theme is that they are looking for new methods to produce eggs within societal boundaries.

Innovation Interests
  • Circularity
  • Emotions of animals
  • Consumer interests
OECD Area of Innovation

Production technique

System Type

Mainstream, Intensive

Size

3

Country

The Netherlands

Industry partner
Facilitator

Dehesa Mediterranean system of sheep rearing in silvopasture with different input levels

Practice Hub involves Corsevilla, a cooperative in the southwest of Spain that collects sheep and lambs from the farms and commercialises them. This hub is focused on Dehesa sheep with different input levels.

Innovation Interests

Reduce health issues (respiratory/digestive during the early in life)

OECD Area of Innovation

Marketing

System Type

Niche, Extensive

Size

8-9

Country

Spain

Industry partner
Facilitator

Tool decision-making for dairy goats

Practice Hub involves CapriGran Goat Farmers aiming to use an animal data processing tool to increase the efficiency of resource management in dairy goats.

Innovation Interests

Improve nutrition management and welfare

OECD Area of Innovation

Organisation

System Type

Mainstream, Intensive

Size

3

Country

Spain

Industry partner
Facilitator