Particular attention will be directed at livestock type and management, the appropriate use and storage of manures crop choice, including direct grazing of crops and/or their residues, the use of afforestation/agroforestry as an alternative grazing option and to increase soil carbon, as well as and how this information can be integrated into decision support tools for identifying the best options for farmers. The ReLive project will take a holistic approach to the sustainable reintegration of livestock and cropping systems. New developments will require mixed farms to be matched with current production and market conditions and the availability of suitable value chains and business models to ensure their long-term viability.

Another key issue is the economic consequences of reintroducing livestock and whether the necessary incentives are available for them to be taken up by farmers.

Additional complications could arise due to associated modifications in land use, including a shift from a grass-based to a forage/alternative crop-based diet, altered grazing practices and increased competition between food and animal feed or the use of biogas or bioenergy crops.

The necessity to store large amounts of organic manures/wastes may also be problematic, given their links to environmental pollution and GHG emissions. Organic amendments applied to land could conversely result in enhanced GHG emissions, unless these are managed appropriately. However, this comes with significant challenges, including the potential for enhanced GHG emissions, particularly methane emissions, from enteric fermentation, land degradation due to over grazing and water pollution as well as the need to effectively substitute all/most inorganic fertilizers with organic manures. The widespread reintroduction of crops and livestock could make a major contribution to the development of the wider EU circular (agricultural) economy and contribute to sustainable growth, through the more effective recycling of materials and resources, the minimization of waste, and a reduction in external supplies of feed and synthetic fertilizers. Back to the Future: reintegrating land and livestock for greenhouse gas mitigation and circularity

Relive