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 Beyond EU/Demeter organic that include among others that all young animals are reared in a mother-calf-rearing system.
Production techniques
Niche and organic
20
- Techniques and ways to establish on-farm slaughtering
- Market access for animal friendly meat
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.
Production techniques
Niche, Grass Based System
19
- Carbon sequestration in permanent and temporal grassland
- How to increase grazing intake with climate change = Less grass in dry summers – how to manage grass growth during autumn and winter
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.
Production techniques
Niche, Extensive
15-20
- Quality products
- Market organising aspects
- Environmental benefits
- Carbon sequestration, biodiversity
- Diversification activities
- Organic production
More-from-less dairy systems utilising on-farm advice and carbon foot-printing tool
This Practice Hub is a new group, but several people knew each other beforehand. The focus of the hub is to use tools to evaluate the environmental, social and economic aspects of the farms to further understand opportunities to improve the sustainability performance. Skilled entrepreneurs, who are curious, and happy to discuss with others.
Production techniques
Mainstream, Intensive
7
- Animal welfare in large herds
- Increasing efficiency – more from less
- Sustainable feed
- Renewable energy
- Optimal use of NPK
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.
Products
Intensive, Niche
100
- Circular economy
- Reduction of NH3, GHG
- Renewable production of mineral fertilizer
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.
Production techniques
Organic, Niche
3
- Animal welfare
- More time outdoors
- % castration
- More trees
- Regulation / solar cells; new buildings
Conventional pig production with innovative flooring and biodiversity focus
Practice Hub members from Krullvarken (Curly Tail Pig), active for 20 years. Hub has 15 farmers.
Production techniques
Intensive, Niche
17
- Closed cycles – how to better utilize and get more value from solid manure
- Human food waste for pig feed
- Maximising the use of data on farm
- Balancing meat quality with the use of circular feed
- Society’s/consumers’ willingness to pay for circular feed
- Rest materials from nature that can be used as bedding material
- How to improve marketing
- Animal welfare, emissions, CO2 foot printing
100% pasture-fed beef systems utilising holistic planned grazing management
Practice Hub farmer members are either certified or on way to certification of Pasture for Life; all based in South England and Wales (lowland), huge range of backgrounds and skills.
Production techniques
Niche
14
- 100% pasture fed beef
- Holistic planned grazing for the land, animal and farmer
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.
Marketing
Mainstream, Extensive
20
- Traceability
- Block chains
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 producers from semi-natural grasslands. This practice hub showcases grazing on high nature value (HNV) grasslands. The NGO promotes quality assured pasture beef and lamb through existing third-party certification.
- Production techniques
- Marketing added value
- Medium, Niche
- Conventional and/or organic is optional
8-10
- Sustainable meat production that brings biodiversity to the table
- Market access
Agri-tech poultry innovation for improved food safety and quality
Practice Hub is based on poultry farms, focusing on implementation of a food traceability system as a tool to enable the ongoing monitoring of efficiency and environmental indicators, including carbon footprint and to allow farmers to get better prices for the products.
Production techniques
Mainstream and Organic Production
11
- Improving food safety and quality
- Increasing consumer trust
- Improving climate footprint of production
- Connectivity
- Impact of animal production
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.
Products
Niche, Intensive
150
- Assess the impact of the litter (welfare, etc.)
- Assess the impact of the composting process on soil
- Better nutrient management
Closed-loop egg production by feeding food processing waste and recycling manure
Practice Hub consists of innovative farmers that thrive to produce eggs within societal boundaries by applying new methods and approaches.
Production technique
Mainstream, Intensive
3
- Circularity
- Emotions of animals
- Consumer interests
- Business model including circularity, animal welfare and consumer interests
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.
Marketing
Niche, Extensive
8-9
Reduce health issues (respiratory/digestive during the early in life)
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.
Organisation
Mainstream, Intensive
3
Improve nutrition management and welfare
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 Beyond EU/Demeter organic that include among others that all young animals are reared in a mother-calf-rearing system.
Production techniques
System TypeNiche and organic
Size20
CountryGermany
- Techniques and ways to establish on-farm slaughtering
- Market access for animal friendly meat
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.
Production techniques
System TypeNiche, Grass Based System
Size19
CountryFrance
- Carbon sequestration in permanent and temporal grassland
- How to increase grazing intake with climate change = Less grass in dry summers – how to manage grass growth during autumn and winter
Produce high quality product on extensive, crop and livestock family farms. Fair price for farmers producing for the local market.
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.
Production techniques
System TypeNiche, Extensive
Size15-20
CountryRomania
- Quality products
- Market organising aspects
- Environmental benefits
- Carbon sequestration, biodiversity
- Diversification activities
- Organic production
More-from-less dairy systems utilising on-farm advice and carbon foot-printing tool
This Practice Hub is a new group, but several people knew each other beforehand. The focus of the hub is to use tools to evaluate the environmental, social and economic aspects of the farms to further understand opportunities to improve the sustainability performance. Skilled entrepreneurs, who are curious, and happy to discuss with others.
Production techniques
System TypeMainstream, Intensive
Size7
CountrySweden
- Animal welfare in large herds
- Increasing efficiency – more from less
- Sustainable feed
- Renewable energy
- Optimal use of NPK
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.
Products
System TypeIntensive, Niche
Size100
CountryFrance
- Circular economy
- Reduction of NH3, GHG
- Renewable production of mineral fertilizer
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.
Production techniques
System TypeOrganic, Niche
Size3
CountryDenmark
- Animal welfare
- More time outdoors
- % castration
- More trees
- Regulation / solar cells; new buildings
Conventional pig production with innovative flooring and biodiversity focus
Practice Hub members from Krullvarken (Curly Tail Pig), active for 20 years. Hub has 15 farmers.
Production techniques
System TypeIntensive, Niche
Size17
CountryThe Netherlands
- Closed cycles – how to better utilize and get more value from solid manure
- Human food waste for pig feed
- Maximising the use of data on farm
- Balancing meat quality with the use of circular feed
- Society’s/consumers’ willingness to pay for circular feed
- Rest materials from nature that can be used as bedding material
- How to improve marketing
- Animal welfare, emissions, CO2 foot printing
100% pasture-fed beef systems utilising holistic planned grazing management
Practice Hub farmer members are either certified or on way to certification of Pasture for Life; all based in South England and Wales (lowland), huge range of backgrounds and skills.
Production techniques
System TypeNiche
Size14
CountryUK
- 100% pasture fed beef
- Holistic planned grazing for the land, animal and farmer
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.
Marketing
System TypeMainstream, Extensive
Size20
CountryItaly
- Traceability
- Block chains
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 producers from semi-natural grasslands. This practice hub showcases grazing on high nature value (HNV) grasslands. The NGO promotes quality assured pasture beef and lamb through existing third-party certification.
- Production techniques
- Marketing added value
- Medium, Niche
- Conventional and/or organic is optional
8-10
CountrySweden
- Sustainable meat production that brings biodiversity to the table
- Market access
Agri-tech poultry innovation for improved food safety and quality
Practice Hub is based on poultry farms, focusing on implementation of a food traceability system as a tool to enable the ongoing monitoring of efficiency and environmental indicators, including carbon footprint and to allow farmers to get better prices for the products.
Production techniques
System TypeMainstream and Organic Production
Size11
CountryPoland
- Improving food safety and quality
- Increasing consumer trust
- Improving climate footprint of production
- Connectivity
- Impact of animal production
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.
Products
System TypeNiche, Intensive
Size150
CountryFrance
- Assess the impact of the litter (welfare, etc.)
- Assess the impact of the composting process on soil
- Better nutrient management
Closed-loop egg production by feeding food processing waste and recycling manure
Practice Hub consists of innovative farmers that thrive to produce eggs within societal boundaries by applying new methods and approaches.
Production technique
System TypeMainstream, Intensive
Size3
CountryThe Netherlands
- Circularity
- Emotions of animals
- Consumer interests
- Business model including circularity, animal welfare and consumer interests
- Feelings/emotions of animals
- Meet societal needs
- Business model
- Animals at the centre of the system
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.
Marketing
System TypeNiche, Extensive
Size8-9
CountrySpain
Reduce health issues (respiratory/digestive during the early in life)
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.
Organisation
System TypeMainstream, Intensive
Size3
CountrySpain
Improve nutrition management and welfare
