Affiliation:
1. Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics
Abstract
A constantly growing demand for fossil fuels in the world and its contribution to climate changes is putting intense pressure on various energy consumers in different industries. Thus, agricultural producers come under close scrutiny and face a difficult challenge of switching to a sustainable mode of production that would ameliorate detrimental effects on greenhouse gas emissions. This study aims to fill the gap in the literature and contribute to the current body of knowledge by analyzing the consumption of energy per hectare of the utilized agricultural area and per livestock unit since 2005 after the Baltic States becoming the members of the European Union. We base our calculations on statistical data obtained from the EU Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN). The results reveal that the efficiency of energy consumption show heterogeneous patterns and differs widely between dairy farms in the Baltic States. It provides abundant evidence of flexibility created by the Baltic milk producers whose farming practices are an eclectic mix of conventional and more environmentally friendly approaches.