Multiple-perspective performance analysis of dairy production systems in Slovenia

The paper illustrates synergies between the socio-economic and emergy evaluation of agricultural activity by studying the dairy sector in Slovenia. Evaluation was performed on nine farm types, representing the diversity of the country's dairy sector. Results indicate that socio-economic evaluation favours larger conventional systems. Emergy analysis however, favours organic farms, which better exploit local resources and put less stress to the local environment. Socio-economic and emergy indicators show that small conventional farms are the poorest performers overall. Analysis of emergy flows reveals a high dependency of all farm types from the wider socio-economic system, suggesting a limited scope to improve their sustainability.