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Nutrient flows and associated environmental impacts in livestock supply chains

Summary of the guidelines for assessment

Year of publication 2019

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 2p.

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The objective of these guidelines is to provide additional recommendations to the existing LEAP guidelines on feed and livestock supply chains by including recommendations for the life cycle impact assessment of livestock supply chains, including methods for estimating and accounting for flows of N and P. Environmental impact categories are restricted to acidification and eutrophication (freshwater, marine and terrestrial). While it is recognised that N and P losses to water, soil and air play a dominant role in stratospheric ozone depletion, soil quality impoverishment, and biodiversity loss, these environmental impacts are not covered in this guidance document. Also excluded is guidance on the assessment of the impact of nitrous oxide (N2O) on ozone because of strong interactions between N2O and other greenhouse gases such as CO2 and CH4 Guidance to assess the impact of nutrients on biodiversity is covered in the LEAP principles on biodiversity.

Language English

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    The aim of the methodology developed in these guidelines is to introduce a harmonized international approach assessing nutrient flows and impact assessment for eutrophication and acidification for livestock supply chains taking the specificity of the various production systems involved into consideration. The methodology strives to increase understanding of nutrient use efficiency and associated environmental impacts and to facilitate the improvement of livestock systems’ environmental performance. The guidelines are a product of the Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership, a multi-stakeholder initiative whose goal is to improve the environmental sustainability of livestock sector through better metrics and data. Nutrient use in livestock production systems increased over the last decades due to the increased demand for livestock production. This demand is mainly driven by the increase in the population growth, population income, and urbanization. Consequently, in livestock supply chains, nutrient losses into the environment have contributed to environmental burdens such as climate change, air and water pollution, degradation of soil quality, loss of biodiversity and human health issues. Therefore, there is strong interest in measuring nutrient flows to improve the environmental performance of the livestock sector. The objectives of these guidelines are: • To develop a harmonized, science-based approach resting on a consensus among the sector’s stakeholders; • To recommend a scientific, but at the same time practical, an approach that builds on existing or developing methodologies; • To promote a harmonised approach to assess nutrient flows and impact assessment, relevant for global livestock supply chains; • To identify the principal areas where ambiguity or differing views exist concerning the methodological framework. During the development process, these guidelines were submitted for technical review and public review. The purpose is to strengthen the advice provided and ensure it meets the needs of those seeking to improve nutrient use efficiency and environmental performance through sound assessment practice. This document is not intended to remain static. It will be updated and improved as the sector evolves and more stakeholders become involved in the LEAP, and as new methodological frameworks and data become available. The guidelines developed by the LEAP Partnership gain strength because they represent a multi-actor coordinated cross-sectoral and international effort to harmonize assessment approaches. Ideally, the harmonization leads to greater understanding, transparent application and communication of metrics, and, not least, real and measurable improvement in environmental performance.
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    The guidelines are a product of the Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership, a multi-stakeholder initiative whose goal is to improve the environmental sustainability of the livestock sector through better metrics and data.
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    The production and the use of feed additives influence the environmental impact of livestock production. The use of feed additives significantly acts on feed efficiency, and thus animal and environmental performance. The methodology developed in these guidelines aims to introduce a harmonized international approach to the assessment of the environmental performance of feed additives in livestock supply chains taking into consideration the impact of their production and use all along the supply chain for large ruminants, pigs and poultry. The objective of this technical document is twofold: on the one hand, to provide detailed guidance on how to measure the environmental performance of the production of feed additives, and on the other hand, how to measure the effects of feed additives on the environmental performance of livestock products. The guidelines on the environmental performance of feed additives in livestock supply chains are intended to be used with other published LEAP guidelines.
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