ABSTRACT
Mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change is necessary for the continued success of modern agriculture. Agriculture is one of the most pervasive human activities on the planet, and thus is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Significant efforts are being undertaken globally to assess and understand the impact that managed agro-ecosystems have on the environment, including global climate change (Foley et al., 2011; Tilman et al., 2011; Gerber et al., 2013; Macleod et al., 2013). System-scale models provide a mechanism for integrating scientific knowledge, management practices, and environmental and economic impacts of agro-ecosystems. While agriculture, and the swine production industry in particular, has reduced environmental impacts during the past 50 years due to productivity gains (Xin et al., 2010; Capper, 2011; Boyd et al., 2012), there are increasing demands on our resource base, and we need robust tools to continue to support the best decisions in the face of these challenges. The tools described in this chapter describe approaches to system-scale productivity and environmental management for the swine sector.
