Environmental Assessment of Agricultural Products

The primary objective of the project was to promote a product-oriented environmental assessment of products from agricultural holdings. The project provided the basic prerequisite, namely environmental effects recorded per unit of product.

The client

Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Denmark

Our role

The project was conducted by the Danish Agricultural Advisory Centre, 2.-0 LCA consultants and the Danish Institute of Agricultural Science. The project made operational the results and data from a previous project called Life Cycle Assessment of Basic Food. Project completed August 2004.

Assessment and benchmarking of individual agricultural holdings

This project has made it possible to carry out environmental assessment of products from individual agricultural holdings on the basis of data from environmental accounts. A tool for calculation of potential environmental impacts and emissions from production of agricultural products has been established. The tool consists of a spreadsheet and instructions.

It was estimated that the most important environmental impacts from agriculture are global warming, acidification, nutrient enrichment and land use. An environmental assessment shows the emissions with potential environmental effects. Key figures per product unit can be used for benchmarking between individual holdings and provide the basis for a product-oriented environmental policy for agricultural production. A project report is available (in Danish, with an English summary)