Lucas Daglish on the biodiversity impact of arable vs livestock farming
In his latest article, BMPA's Sustainability Manager Lucas Daglish considers the relative biodiversity impacts of arable versus ruminant livestock farming in the UK.
Contrary to what some commentators would like to claim, it's not a simple case of 'black and white'. There are multiple factors that contribute to biodiversity loss including the intensity of the farming system employed, monoculture and pesticide use.
Lucas explains: "While ruminant livestock farming contributes to biodiversity loss, especially through overgrazing and nutrient runoff, traditional and low-intensity ruminant livestock systems can be less harmful than arable systems and can even support greater biodiversity.'