European beef farming to be more sustainable by learning from UK best practice

·         UK institutions receive nearly £1m to ensure sustainable best practice is widely shared among farmers across Europe

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Project to help policy makers understand how practices such as 100% grass-fed diets and mobile abattoirs can be adopted

UK beef farmers who are using advanced sustainability practices may provide models for the rest of Europe to follow.

The examples of sustainable agriculture will be studied as part of a new research project which aims to make livestock-based farming as environmentally friendly as possible. As part of the PATHWAYS project, the University of Reading, Royal Agricultural University, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association will be working with British farmers and sharing the best practice, which includes achieving fully grass-fed diets and technologies such as mobile abattoirs.

Dr Laurence Smith, Lecturer in Agricultural Business Management at the University of Reading who will be leading the workstream said:

“As the world increasingly recognises that significant changes need to take place to address the climate crisis, the agricultural sector and consumer behaviour has an important role to play. Beef and dairy can play an important role in getting us to a net zero lifestyle by recognising and championing practices such as grass-fed diets.

“Here in the UK we are in an ideal position to help the rest of Europe and the world put into practice more sustainable beef farming. We have some of the most passionate and focused advocates for grass-fed farming, which has a myriad of potential benefits not only for reducing emissions but also improving soil health, improving animal welfare and reducing food miles.

Nikki Yoxall, Research Associate at the Pasture Fed Livestock Association said:

“The Pasture Fed Livestock Association are delighted to be involved in this project, particularly in helping to determine sustainable livestock futures. With over 700 members and over 100 certified farms in the UK, the PFLA is a thriving organisation championing the virtue of pasture-fed ruminants and their meat and dairy products.

“As the home of ‘grass-fed’, we are at the cutting edge of new grazing management techniques and are confident that involvement in PATHWAYS will increase our capacity to act as a platform for regenerative farmers to learn and succeed, providing support for farmers transitioning to more sustainable production methods.” 

Lisa Norton, Agro-ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said:

“UKCEH is delighted to be involved in this work that builds on the recently completed Sustainable Economic and Ecological Grazing Systems – Learning from Innovative Practitioners (SEEGSLIP) project, which evidenced the practices of Pasture Fed Livestock farmers.”

PATHWAYS, a Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Action project, has received €9 million with the aim to make this a reality. The project will contribute to the EU’s Farm-to-Fork strategy, which is at the heart of the EU Green Deal, by designing transition pathways that address societal demands for the provision of resilient, safe, nutritious and affordable livestock-based food, while reducing environmental impacts and furthering the sustainability of the European livestock sector.

Coordinated by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), PATHWAYS will run for five years (2021-2026), with 28 partners from 12 countries including universities, research institutes, NGOs, think tanks, SMEs, industry associations, and multi-nationals – mobilising stakeholders along every step of the food value chain.

About PATHWAYS

With the aim of reducing environmental impacts while addressing societal demands for safe, nutritious and affordable meat and dairy products, PATHWAYS is about identifying and increasing sustainable practices along the supply and production chains of the European livestock sector. Coordinated by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and comprising 28 partners from 12 countries, this 5-year (2021-2026) €9 million Horizon 2020 project contributes to the EU Farm-to-Fork Strategy which is at the heart of the EU Green Deal.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s H2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No 101000395.