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Operationalising eco-efficiency in agriculture: the example of specialised dairy farms in Flanders

Operationalising eco-efficiency in agriculture: the example of specialised dairy farms in Flanders Eco-efficiencies of a representative set of Flemish dairy farms were determined for the years 19891990 and 20002001. Eco-efficiency was measured as a combination of nitrogen (N) use efficiency and energy use efficiency, where N use efficiency (l milk kg-1 N surplus) is the ratio between the amount of produced milk and the farm-gate N surplus (= N input − N output). Energy use efficiency (l milk 100 MJ-1) is the ratio between the amount of produced milk and the total (direct + indirect) energy input. Between 19891990 and 20002001, average N use efficiency increased from 27 to 40 l milk kg-1 N surplus and average energy use efficiency increased from 22 to 27 l milk 100 MJ-1, indicating an overall increase of eco-efficiency of the Flemish dairy farms during those periods. The farms with the highest eco-efficiencies were characterised by a higher milk production, a lower N surplus, a lower energy input and a higher gross value-added. The latter shows that on the studied farms, eco-efficiency went hand in hand with better economic results. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Progress in Industrial Ecology, an International Journal Inderscience Publishers

Operationalising eco-efficiency in agriculture: the example of specialised dairy farms in Flanders

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Publisher
Inderscience Publishers
Copyright
Copyright © Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. All rights reserved
ISSN
1476-8917
eISSN
1478-8764
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Eco-efficiencies of a representative set of Flemish dairy farms were determined for the years 19891990 and 20002001. Eco-efficiency was measured as a combination of nitrogen (N) use efficiency and energy use efficiency, where N use efficiency (l milk kg-1 N surplus) is the ratio between the amount of produced milk and the farm-gate N surplus (= N input − N output). Energy use efficiency (l milk 100 MJ-1) is the ratio between the amount of produced milk and the total (direct + indirect) energy input. Between 19891990 and 20002001, average N use efficiency increased from 27 to 40 l milk kg-1 N surplus and average energy use efficiency increased from 22 to 27 l milk 100 MJ-1, indicating an overall increase of eco-efficiency of the Flemish dairy farms during those periods. The farms with the highest eco-efficiencies were characterised by a higher milk production, a lower N surplus, a lower energy input and a higher gross value-added. The latter shows that on the studied farms, eco-efficiency went hand in hand with better economic results.

Journal

Progress in Industrial Ecology, an International JournalInderscience Publishers

Published: Jan 1, 2007

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