Turning the Commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy into a Far-Reaching Reform of EU Agriculture
Open accessAbstract
Despite the EU’s claim to lead the world on farm animal welfare, much of the EU livestock sector is industrial with poor welfare standards. Moreover, the crowded, stressful conditions of industrial livestock production contribute to the emergence, spread and amplification of pathogens, some of which are zoonotic. Industrial production is dependent on the routine use of antimicrobials to prevent the bacterial diseases that are inevitable when animals are kept in poor conditions. This leads to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in animals which can in turn be transferred to people, so undermining the efficacy of the antimicrobials that are so important in human medicine. In order to reduce disease risk and save our antibiotics, we need to move to ‘health-oriented systems’ for rearing animals in which good health is inherent in the farming methods rather than being propped up by routine use of antimicrobials. Industrial livestock production is also dependent on feeding human-edible cereals to animals who convert them very inefficiently into meat and milk. 57% of EU cereals are used to feed farm animals. Industrial production’s huge demand for cereals has fuelled intensive crop production which with its monocultures and agro-chemicals has led to soil degradation, overuse and pollution of ground- and surface-water, and biodiversity loss including sharp declines in pollinators and farmland birds. We need to transform the role of animals; they only make an efficient contribution to food security when they are converting materials we cannot consume – e.g. grass, crop residues, by-products and unavoidable food waste – into food we can eat. We need to move to regenerative agriculture such as agroecology which can minimise the use of pesticides and fertilisers, while in some cases, enhancing productivity by supporting and harnessing natural processes.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Focusing on livestock that can convert natural resources (such as grass, by-products, crop residues) into energy that humans cannot directly utilize is crucial for achieving the required paradigm shift.
“Focusing on livestock that can convert natural resources (such as grass, by-products, crop residues) into energy that humans cannot directly utilize is crucial for achieving the required paradigm shift [34].”
From Grassland-Based Farming Systems Targeting Agroecology: Which Indicators Should Be Used for On-Farm Assessment? (2025) · cites this paper as [34]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
The contribution of outdoor air pollution sources to premature mortality on a global scale
Lelieveld, J., Evans, J. S., Fnais, M., Giannadaki, D., & Pozzer, A. (2015) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature15371 · Cited by 5,977 · see citing works
(2016) · Cited by 2,888 · see citing works
A Global Assessment of the Water Footprint of Farm Animal Products
Mekonnen, M. M., & Hoekstra, A. Y. (2012) · Ecosystems · doi:10.1007/s10021-011-9517-8 · Cited by 1,395 · see citing works
The European Nitrogen Assessment
(2011) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511976988 · Cited by 1,293 · see citing works
Undesirable side effects of selection for high production efficiency in farm animals: a review
Rauw, W. M., Kanis, E., Noordhuizen-Stassen, E. N., & Grommers, F. J. (1998) · Livestock Production Science · doi:10.1016/s0301-6226(98)00147-x · Cited by 1,108 · see citing works
Food choices, health and environment: Effects of cutting Europe's meat and dairy intake
Westhoek, H., Lesschen, J. P., Rood, T., Wagner, S., Marco, A. D., Murphy‐Bokern, D., Leip, A., van Grinsven, H. J. M., Sutton, M. A., & Oenema, O. (2014) · Global Environmental Change · doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2014.02.004 · Cited by 779 · see citing works
Importance of food-demand management for climate mitigation
Bajželj, B., Richards, K., Allwood, J. M., Smith, P., Dennis, J. S., Curmi, E., & Gilligan, C. A. (2014) · Nature Climate Change · doi:10.1038/nclimate2353 · Cited by 735 · see citing works
The behaviour of pigs in a semi-natural environment
Stolba, A., & Wood-Gush, D. G. M. (1989) · Animal Science · doi:10.1017/s0003356100040411 · Cited by 510 · see citing works
Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: food and agriculture
Friel, S., Dangour, A. D., Garnett, T., Lock, K., Chalabi, Z., Roberts, I., Butler, A. J., Butler, C. D., Waage, J. K., McMichael, A. J., et al. (2009) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(09)61753-0 · Cited by 498 · see citing works
Impacts of feeding less food-competing feedstuffs to livestock on global food system sustainability
Schader, C., Müller, A. W., Scialabba, N. E., Hecht, J., Isensee, A., Erb, K., Smith, P., Makkar, H. P. S., Klocke, P., Leiber, F., et al. (2015) · Journal of The Royal Society Interface · doi:10.1098/rsif.2015.0891 · Cited by 362 · see citing works
Berners-Lee, M., Kennelly, C., Watson, R., & HEWITT, C. N. (2018) · Elementa Science of the Anthropocene · doi:10.1525/elementa.310 · Cited by 345 · see citing works
Saving water: from field to fork. Curbing losses and wastage in the food chain
Lundqvist, J., de Fraiture, C., & Molden, D. J. (2008) · Digital Library Of The Commons Repository (Indiana University) · Cited by 341 · see citing works
Environnement, O., GRID-Arendal, Unep-Wcmc, Nellemann, C., Macdevette, M., & Manders, T. (2009) · Cited by 337 · see citing works
Murphy, D., Ricci, A., Auce, Z., Beechinor, J. G., Bergendahl, H., Breathnach, R., Bureš, J., Silva, J. P. D. D., Hederová, J., Hekman, P., et al. (2017) · EFSA Journal · doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4666 · Cited by 327 · see citing works
Quality Unknown: The Invisible Water Crisis
Damania, R., Desbureaux, S., Rodella, A.-S., Russ, J. D., & Zaveri, E. D. (2019) · World Bank, Washington, DC eBooks · doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-1459-4 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
The environmental food crisis : the environment's role in averting future food crises
Nellemann, C. (2009) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 263 · see citing works
The water footprint of the EU for different diets
Vanham, D., Mekonnen, M. M., & Hoekstra, A. Y. (2013) · Ecological Indicators · doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.02.020 · Cited by 232 · see citing works
Edmondson, J. L., Davies, Z. G., Gaston, K. J., & Leake, J. R. (2014) · Journal of Applied Ecology · doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12254 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
A Sustainable Agricultural Future Relies on the Transition to Organic Agroecological Pest Management
Brzozowski, L. J., & Mazourek, M. R. (2018) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su10062023 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Baxter, E., Lawrence, A. B., & Edwards, S. A. (2011) · animal · doi:10.1017/s1751731111001224 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
Welfare Implications of the Gas Stunning of Pigs 2. Stress of Induction of Anaesthesia
Raj, A. B. M., & Gregory, N. G. (1996) · Animal Welfare · doi:10.1017/s0962728600018352 · Cited by 106 · see citing works
Piglet mortality on farms using farrowing systems with or without crates
Weber, R., Keil, N., Fehr, M., et al. (2007) · Animal Welfare · doi:10.1017/s0962728600031511 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Industrial Livestock Production and Global Health Risks
Otte, J., Roland-Holst, D. W., Pfeiffer, D. U., et al. (2007) · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Social stress increases fecal shedding of Salmonella typhimurium by early weaned piglets.
Callaway, T. R., Morrow, J. L., Edrington, T. S., Genovese, K. J., Dowd, S. E., Carroll, J. A., Dailey, J. W., Harvey, R. B., Poole, T. L., Anderson, R. C., et al. (2006) · PubMed · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Welfare, N.-F. E. P. O. A. H. A., Nielsen, S. S., Álvarez, J., et al. (2020) · EFSA Journal · doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6148 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Nalon, E., & Stevenson, P. (2019) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani9121066 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citationSafety and efficacy of Lactobacillus buchneri DSM 29026 as a silage additive for all animal species
(FEEDAP), E. P. O. A. A. P. O. S. U. I. A. F., Bampidis, V., Azimonti, G., Bastos, M. D. L., Christensen, H. K., Dusemund, B., Durjava, M. F., Kouba, M., López‐Alonso, M., Puente, S. L., et al. (2020) · EFSA Journal · doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6159 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 7
- BAJŽELJ, B, RICHARDS, KS, ALLWOOD, JM, SMITH, P, DENNIS, JS, CURMI, E, GILLIGAN, CA. Importance of food- demand management for climate mitigation. Nature Climate Change (2014) http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/nclimate2353 · DOI
- • MEKONNEN, M., AND HOEKSTRA, A. A global assessment of the water footprint of farm animal products. Ecosystems, 15 (2012) 401-415. DOI: 10.1007/s10021-011-9517-8 · DOI
- O'NEILL, J. The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. Tackling drug-resistant infections globally: final report and recommendations. (2016). Available at: http://amr- review.org/sites/default/files/160518_Final%20paper_with%20cover.pdf. [Accessed: 2 November 2020]
- RAUW, W., KANIS, E., NOORDHUIZEN-STASSEN, E., AND GROMMERS, F. Undesirable side effects of selection for high production efficiency in farm animals: a review. Livestock Production Science. 56/1 (1998) 15-33.
- • SCHADER, C., MULLER, A., SCIALABBA, N., HECHT, J., ISENSEE, A., ERB, K., SMITH, P., HARINDER, P., KLOCK, P., LEIBER, F., SCHWEGLER, P., STOLZE, M., AND NIGGLE, U. Impacts of feeding less food-competing feedstuffs to livestock on global food system sustainability. Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 12 (2015) 20150891. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2015.0891. [Accessed 2 November 2020]. · DOI
- • SUTTON, M., HOWARD, C., ERISMAN, J., BILLEN, G., BLEEKER, A., GRENNFELT, P., VAN GRINSVEN, H., AND GRIZZETTI, B. The European Nitrogen Assessment (Cambridge 2011) • VANHAM, D., MEKKONEN, M., AND HOEKSTRA, A. The water footprint of the EU for different diets. Ecological Indicators, 32 (2013) 1-8. Available at: http://waterfootprint.org/media/downloads/Vanham-et-al-2013_2.pdf. [Accessed: 2 November 2020].
- WESTHOEK, H., LESSCHEN, J., ROOD, T., WAGNER, S., DE MARCO, A., MURPHY- BOKERN, D., LEIP, A., VAN GRINSVEN, H., SUTTON, M., AND OENEMA, O. Food choices, health and environment: Effects of cutting Europe's meat and dairy intake. Global Environmental Change, 26 (2014) 196-205. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378014000338. [Accessed: 2 November 2020].
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Benedetti del Rio, E., Michaud, A., Brunschwig, G., & Sturaro, E. (2025) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su17062720
“Focusing on livestock that can convert natural resources (such as grass, by-products, crop residues) into energy that humans cannot directly utilize is crucial for achieving the required paradigm shift [34].”
- Authors
- Stevenson, P.
- Corresponding author
- Stevenson, Peter
- Venue
- Derecho Animal Forum of Animal Law Studies
- Publisher
- Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
- Published
- 2020-11-23
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 177-187
- ISSN
- 2462-7518 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3114458368
- Cited by
- 4
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 0.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- Derecho Animal Forum of Animal Law Studies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agricultural Economics and Policy
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Agriculture and Rural Development Research
- Keywords
- Farm to Fork strategy, EU agricultural policy reform, intensive livestock farming, animal welfare, antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic pathogens, intensive crop production, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, pollinators, farmland birds, regenerative agriculture, agroecology, food security
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
