Garrett, R. D., J. Ryschawy, L. W. Bell, O. Cortner, J. Ferreira, A. V. N. Garik, J. D. B. Gil, L. Klerkx, M. Moraine, C. A. Peterson, J. C. dos Reis, and J. F. Valentim. 2020. Drivers of decoupling and recoupling of crop and livestock systems at farm and territorial scales. Ecology and Society 25(1):24. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-11412-250124

The reintegration of crop and livestock systems within the same land area has the potential to improve soil quality and reduce water and air pollution, while maintaining high yields and reducing risk. In this study, we characterize the degree to which federal policies in three major global food production regions that span a range of socioeconomic contexts, Brazil, New Zealand, and the United States, incentivize or disincentivize the use of integrated crop and livestock practices (ICLS). Our analysis indicates that Brazil and New Zealand have the most favorable policy environment for ICLS, while the United States provides the least favorable environment. The balance of policy incentives and disincentives across our three cases studies mirrors current patterns of ICLS usage. Brazil and New Zealand have both undergone a trend toward mixed crop livestock systems in recent years, while the United States has transitioned rapidly toward continuous crop and livestock production. If transitions to ICLS are desired, particularly in the United States, it will be necessary to change agricultural, trade, environmental, biofuels, and food safety policies that currently buffer farmers from risk, provide too few incentives for pollution reduction, and restrict the presence of animals in crop areas. It will also be necessary to invest more in research and development in all countries to identify the most profitable ICLS technologies in each region.

Population growth and rising incomes have led to increasing global demand for meat products. Meeting this demand without converting remaining natural ecosystems or further degrading ecosystems is one of the largest global sustainability challenges. A critical step to overcoming this challenge is to increase the productivity of livestock grazing systems, which occupy the largest land area of any type of agriculture globally. Integrated crop−livestock systems (iCL), which re-couple crop and livestock production at the farm scale, have been considered a promising strategy to tackle this challenge by restoring degraded pasturelands and providing supplemental nutrition to livestock. However, few studies have analyzed the economic viability of such systems, especially in Brazil, an important player in global food systems. This paper presents an economic analysis of iCL in Mato Grosso, Brazil, the largest grain and beef producer in the country, which spans the ecologically diverse Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal biomes. We compare the economic performance of an integrated soybean/corn and beef cattle system to a continuous crop (soybean/corn) system and a continuous livestock (beef cattle) production system from 2005 to 2012. We use empirical case study data to characterize a ‘typical’ farm for each production system within the study region. We find that the integrated crop−livestock system has a higher annual net present value (NPV) per hectare (ha) than continuous cropping or livestock under a range of discount rates. However, under a scenario of substantially higher crop prices, the continuous cropping outperforms iCL. While iCL is not feasible in all regions of the Amazon and Cerrado, our results indicate that in places where the biophysical and market conditions are suitable for production, it could be a highly profitable way to intensify cattle production and potentially spare land for other uses, including conservation. Nevertheless, additional credit and technical support may be needed to overcome high upfront costs and informational barriers to increase iCL areas as a sustainable development strategy for agriculture in the Amazon and Cerrado regions.

Diversified sustainable agricultural systems, such as integrated crop-livestock-forest systems (ICLFs), offer substantial potential for enhancing food production to meet the increasing global demand for agricultural goods while, simultaneously, conserving vital natural resources, including soil, water, and forests. However, a critical barrier to the widespread adoption of these sustainable systems in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado biomes, its primary agricultural commodity-producing regions, is the lack of comprehensive economic information. This paper presents case studies that evaluate the economic performance of ICLFs compared to traditional agricultural practices in these biomes (extensive livestock and large-scale cropping systems). Additionally, we employ an economic impact analysis using an input–output matrix approach to assess the economic benefits associated with ICLF adoption. The findings indicate that integrated systems exhibit superior economic performance, particularly over the long-term, as evidenced by more favorable viability indicators, such as higher internal rates of return and profitability indexes. In the Cerrado biome, the gross profit per hectare is up to USD 200 higher compared to traditional livestock and USD 26.5 higher than crop farming. While these systems necessitate higher initial investments per hectare, they provide shorter payback periods and increased profitability. Furthermore, it is observed that an ICLF expansion over degraded pasture in Brazil would promote highly positive economic impacts. Approximately 61,000 and 50,000 additional jobs would be generated in the Cerrado and Amazon biomes, respectively. In terms of production value, it would be up to USD 19.7 billion higher in the Cerrado biome and USD 16 billion higher in the Amazon biome compared to traditional livestock farming. These findings reinforce the role of public policies aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and achieving the targets established in the Brazilian Low-Carbon Agriculture Plan.