LCA Food 2012 in Saint Malo, France! - Manifestations et colloques ...

PARALLEL SESSION 5B: METHODOLOGICAL CHALLENGES FOR CROP PRODUCTION SYSTEMS 8 th Int. Conference on
LCA in the
Agri-Food Sector, 1-4 Oct 2012
are part of the calculation of Cereal Unit conversion factor. Further conversion factors for the European and
worldwide context could be developed using the published calculation method. This step seems to be necessary
for the application of the Cereal Unit in other regions.
Due to the use of the Cereal Unit in agricultural statistics for decades, good balanced allocation results between
different products and the acceptance for this method within the agricultural sector is expected to be
high. Because the Cereal Unit combines different aspects and parameters it seems to be a promising compromise
to reflect the intention of different users of agricultural products.
Decreasing the arbitrariness of LCA practitioners’ choice of allocation method increases the reliability of
agricultural LCAs. Improved accountability, predictability and credibility of agricultural LCAs are the basis
for new, effective strategies for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) for products based on agricultural
raw materials.
When it comes to the allocation of environmental burden in agricultural LCAs it seems useful to think
about the biggest user of agricultural area and agricultural products. Eighty percent of global agricultural
land is being used to feed livestock (FAO, 2009), and the Cereal Unit reflects its needs.
5. Conclusion
While the Cereal Unit allocation approach from a theoretical point of view has a large potential, broad
experience of its practical application is not yet available. To test the proposed approach and either reconfirm
its suitability or identify practical drawbacks, LCA practitioners are invited to use the Cereal Unit allocation
in their published results.
Application of the Cereal Unit allocation might reduce the variability and potential bias in LCA results in
this sector. If the Cereal Unit allocation approach is established as a universal approach for agricultural processes,
it will support the use of LCAs by providing decision makers with more robust recommendations and
to achieve the aim of SCP.
6. References
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comparison and implications of alternative livestock reviews] Cuvillier, Göttingen.
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