Sustainable livestock farming results from pluralism, regulation and creativity

'Pluralism, diversity, regulation, social responsibility and creativity provide the future solution for sustainable livestock farming. Maximising profit and mass-production is not the correct way out of the current crisis,' says Simon Oosting during his inaugural address as professor and chairholder of Animal Production Systems at Wageningen University & Research on 15 September. In his address, Oosting stood up for his severely criticised colleague scientists working on the nitrogen crisis. The livestock sector is essential to the world population. Animals provide food in the shape of meat, eggs and milk. But they also plough the land in some countries, produce manure to fertilise it, and act as an alternative to insurance or a bank. It is, however, becoming increasingly apparent that we pay a steep price for keeping cows, pigs, and chickens, but also animals such as fish and guinea pigs.