European livestock farming in a continuously changing world

European livestock farming is going through a period of profound change. Geopolitical tensions such as the war in Ukraine and global trade disputes have disturbed feed supplies and reshaped market dynamics. At the same time, societal scrutiny over environmental impact, animal welfare and health is challenging the sector’s legitimacy – particularly in Western Europe.
Nevertheless, the livestock sector continues to play a vital role in Europe’s food and nutrition security. It contributes to circular food systems, supports rural economies and provides essential nutrients. As pressures mount, the sector must innovate and engage with policy and society to secure its place in a more sustainable and resilient food future.

How can Europe’s livestock sector redefine its role and earn public trust while delivering sustainability and food security in an increasingly fragmented world? Most of the focus on livestock and climate change has been on emissions of greenhouse gases and opportunities to mitigate them. However, the impact of climate change on livestock agriculture is becoming increasingly important as extreme weather events become more frequent; temperature rise is approaching the 1.5 degree set in the Paris Agreement, longer periods of drought or intense rain are increasingly frequent too. In addition, EU livestock production is challenged due to the global situation as such, as e.g. feed prices may be highly influenced by the price and/or availability of the raw materials. One example is the situation experienced in Ukraine with the limited exportation of barley/wheat, and a similar situation could be experienced with the USA in relation to the export of e.g. soy protein/corn.

This topic will address consequences of several factors in building resilient livestock systems, including land and water shortage, extreme heat for livestock farming and related operations, feed and food security/safety as well as lack of farmers to ensure future food production, social demands and how to minimise these impacts.

Water and land requirement and resilience of livestock farming to a changing environment such as fodder availability, feed additives supply, capacity to adapt and cope with emerging diseases and other critical situations are all-ready challenges faced by the farmers, and may be even further sharpen in the near future. The use of land and water in livestock production is under increasing scrutiny and the extreme weather events are dramatically affecting efficiency, livability and animal health, likely leading to displacements of some from farming areas and replaced by more resilient genetics and breeds. The uncertainty of climatic conditions is already dictating several changes in management practices, affecting more pronouncedly outdoor livestock systems (e.g. based on grazing areas), but also, and indirectly by influencing feed production (fodder and/or cereals, legumes, etc.), and putting systems sustainability at risk. The dramatic decrease and uncertainty on farmer generational renewal is a real problem and places future animal farming and livestock production in the EU in a difficult situation. This implicates higher food insecurity in the EU.

The theme also intends to explore the implications for the upstream and downstream sectors, such as animal feeding and nutrition, breeding and medicines, food processors, etc., involving all sectors including industry (milk processors, slaughterhouses, feed companies).

• Assessment methods (green, blue, gray water) to provide reliable information and to properly inform » policy makers » of the significance of the various calculations.
• Breeding to contribute to better use of water and animal resilience and adaptation to external factors such as heat stress.
• Housing and more adapted management practices, including animal feed resources (in particular: irrigation, new crops and industry by-products) and/or emerging animal health events.
• Exploration of new feed sources (green/blue/red biomass) and reduce feed/food competition.
• Conservation and better use of land and water in industry, including side-streams of food/feed production.
• How to address and ensure future farmers and the future of farms