Influence of Quality and Productivity on Milk Production Sustainability: From an Anthropocentric to an Ecocentric View

Abstract

Brazil ranks fourth worldwide position on milk production, and Minas Gerais State corresponds to 27% of national production. Eighty percent of the Brazilian milk producers are extensive-familiar, characterized by the absence of technicization and inefficient management that leads to low productivity and quality. Aiming to improve milk productivity and quality, the governmental program "Minas Leite" was launched. This work aims a regional sustainability multicriteria assessment of milk production in Minas Gerais. Social, economic, and environmental indexes are calculated before and after implementing "Minas Leite". Results show that "Minas Leite" should be promoted because it leads to higher sustainability than current production (2.3 times more liters of milk per year, 8.9 times more annual net income, 52% more available jobs, and an increase of 13% on salaries paid). However, efforts are needed to reach a regional strong sustainability under an ecocentric perspective, because "Minas Leite" showed worst performance for environmental indicators.