How to Improve Communication on Permanent Grassland Farming in Europe

Permanent grassland-based farming systems in Europe vary significantly by region, livestock type, stocking rate, and land use regime. This policy brief presents a multi-level classification framework identifying 315 distinct system types, highlighting biogeographic diversity—especially sheep and goat systems in the Mediterranean. Based on data from European farm surveys and the SUPER-G consortium, the framework supports targeted policy design, ecosystem service assessment, and stakeholder engagement. It enables ranking of farms by ecosystem service contribution and strengthens policy legitimacy by moving beyond production metrics. The classification is grounded in empirical analysis and supports region-specific strategies for sustainable grassland management.