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

GROUP 1, SESSION A: ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS 8 th Int. Conference on LCA in the
Agri-Food Sector, 1-4 Oct 2012
5. Evaluation of the environmental impact of Belgian beef production
systems through life cycle assessment methodology
Loriers Astrid 1,* , Mathot Michael 2 , Stilmant Didier 2
1 Agence cooperative de service et conseils (ACOSEC scrl), Centre Wallon de Recherches Agronomiques
(CRA-W), 2 CRA-W, Corresponding author. E-mail: a.loriers@cra.wallonie.be
Environmental issues like GHG emissions, process of eutrophication and acidification, fossils fuels depletion,
etc. received increasing attention over the last years by the European politic. In this context, the livestock
sector is often pointed out. At the same time, consumers search more “green” products and require
more information on food production process and origin.
The aim of this study is to highlight and adapt, based on literature review and on the characteristics of the
main beef production systems identified in Belgium, the emission parameters which could be, in LCA (Life
Cycle Assessment) methodology, adjusted to our national conditions. Indeed, beef livestock systems are
based, in Belgium, on Belgian Blue breed characterised by a very high carcass yield associated to a very
good feed conversion ratio.
The impacts taken into account for these processes will be the global warming, eutrophication, acidification,
fossils fuels depletion, land use and occupation, and water use. In term of boundaries, the system that will be
presented will add, to the classical cradle to farm gate approach, the slaughter house, carcass transformation
and packaging processes. We expect that this analysis will help identify the best practices to improve environmental
performances of this sector in order to advise its different actors.
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