Sustainability of organic dairy farming in the Netherlands

A life cycle assessment was conducted to analyse the contribution of organic dairy farming in the Netherlands to ecological sustainability. Emissions of green house gases (g CO2-equivalents) and acidification potential (g SO2-equivalents) per litre of milk were 14 and 40 % less for organic than for conventional dairy farming in the Netherlands, respectively. Organic dairy farming, however, required 42 % more land per litre of milk. Farm economic analyses have shown consistently higher family incomes for organic than for conventional dairy farming in the last 5 years. The response of agriculture to societal demands for socio-cultural sustainability is partly observed in the concept of multifunctional land use. Functions like landscape and nature conservation, recreation, water management and drinking water production are combined with agriculture on a regional basis. In contrast to conventional dairy farming, organic dairy farming is perceived as a relatively open and extensive farming system that complements such other land use functions. Socio-cultural sustainability also relates to moral values, i.e. what is considered good and bad. Organic dairy farming is generally perceived as a "good" way of farming with regard to production method and care for animals, plants and soil, in contrast to the general perception of conventional farming. Moreover, organic food is often seen as more natural and more authentic than conventional food.