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A Typological Classification for Assessing Farm Sustainability in the Italian Bovine Dairy Sector

Author

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  • Margherita Masi

    (Department of Veterinary Medical Science, University of Bologna—Alma Mater Studiorum, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy)

  • Yari Vecchio

    (Department of Veterinary Medical Science, University of Bologna—Alma Mater Studiorum, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy)

  • Gregorio Pauselli

    (Department of Veterinary Medical Science, University of Bologna—Alma Mater Studiorum, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy)

  • Jorgelina Di Pasquale

    (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy)

  • Felice Adinolfi

    (Department of Veterinary Medical Science, University of Bologna—Alma Mater Studiorum, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy)

Abstract

Italy is among the most important countries in Europe for milk production. The new European policies encourage a transition towards sustainability and are leading European dairy farms to follow new trajectories to increase their economic efficiency, reduce their environmental impact, and ensure social sustainability. Few studies have attempted to classify dairy farms by analyzing the relationships between the structural profiles of farms and the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability. This work intends to pursue this aim through an exploratory analysis in the Italian production context. The cluster analysis technique made it possible to identify three types of dairy farms, which were characterized on the basis of indicators that represented the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic sustainability) and the emerging structural relationships based on the structural characteristics of the dairy farms. The classification made it possible to describe the state of the art of the Italian dairy sector in terms of sustainability and to understand how different types of farms can respond to the new European trajectories.

Suggested Citation

  • Margherita Masi & Yari Vecchio & Gregorio Pauselli & Jorgelina Di Pasquale & Felice Adinolfi, 2021. "A Typological Classification for Assessing Farm Sustainability in the Italian Bovine Dairy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7097-:d:581318
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    2. Anne-Charlotte Hoes & Lusine Aramyan, 2022. "Blind Spot for Pioneering Farmers? Reflections on Dutch Dairy Sustainability Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, September.
    3. Rajeev Bhat & Jorgelina Di Pasquale & Ferenc Istvan Bánkuti & Tiago Teixeira da Silva Siqueira & Philip Shine & Michael D. Murphy, 2022. "Global Dairy Sector: Trends, Prospects, and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-7, April.
    4. Endre Harsányi & Bashar Bashir & Gafar Almhamad & Omar Hijazi & Mona Maze & Ahmed Elbeltagi & Abdullah Alsalman & Glory O. Enaruvbe & Safwan Mohammed & Szilárd Szabó, 2021. "GHGs Emission from the Agricultural Sector within EU-28: A Multivariate Analysis Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-18, October.
    5. Elisa Maini & Marcello De Rosa & Yari Vecchio, 2021. "The Role of Education in the Transition towards Sustainable Agriculture: A Family Farm Learning Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-11, July.
    6. Vlada Vitunskienė & Akvilė Aleksandravičienė & Neringa Ramanauskė, 2022. "Spatio-Temporal Assessment of Biomass Self-Sufficiency in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-19, February.

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