Collaboration between Mountain and Lowland Farms Decreases Environmental Impacts of Dairy Production: The Case of Swiss Contract Rearing

摘要: Mountain farming areas are associated with high nature value and offer attractive landscapes, but in these is less viable than more favorable regions. Consequently, there a threat of land abandonment. Additionally, due to lower productivity mountain farms, their products often bear higher environmental burden those from other areas. An optimal division labor between farms regions based on comparative advantages could help maintain landscapes reduce impacts agricultural production. established Swiss contract rearing system, which dairy the agriculturally lowlands collaborate heifer mountains, represents promising approach for such labor. In this intensive phase production performed lowlands, while mountains. Here, we analyzed sample 16 compare system situation both, lowland produce milk rear own restocking animals. We life cycle assessment quantify systems, assessing both per kg hectare area. This was supplemented analysis workload since increased work efficiency one reason that farmers engage rearing. Workload calculated budgeting tool. found collaboration reduced as well milk. Collaboration had no effect area or were reduced. particular, reduction expected foster farmland provisioning important ecosystem services. case study thus illustrates how can benefit farmland.