IDF Partners With FAO to Harmonize Measurement of Livestock’s Environmental Impacts

Currently, many different methods are being used to measure and assess the environmental impacts of animal raising, making it difficult to compare results and set priorities for the continuous improvement of environmental performance along supply chains.

6 July 2012 --- IDF joins forces with FAO for a new partnership, which aims at improving how the environmental impacts of the livestock industry are measured and assessed. This FAO-led partnership is a necessary first step in improving the sustainability of this important food production sector.

Currently, many different methods are being used to measure and assess the environmental impacts of animal raising, making it difficult to compare results and set priorities for the continuous improvement of environmental performance along supply chains.

FAO and governmental, private-sector, and nongovernmental partners will work together on a number of fronts to strengthen the science of environmental benchmarking of livestock supply chains.

"We must establish a shared understanding of how to assess the environmental performance of the livestock sector," said Pierre Gerber, a Senior FAO livestock policy officer. "The goal is to improve that performance, and create more sustainable forms of production that will continue to provide food and income. To do that, we need reliable quantitative information on key environmental parameters along livestock supply chains, as an evidence base from which to drive improvements."

In his declaration, Nico van Belzen, IDF Director General, quoted the pioneering work of IDF regarding the LCA methodology on carbon footprint* to enable effective management and reduction of GHG emissions within the dairy sector. “IDF is committed to providing nutritious dairy products to a growing population in a way that is environmentally sound, socially responsible and economically viable”, he said. “Common and robust indicators and guidelines for environmental assessments will lead to shared understanding of environmental impacts and better policymaking.”