Developing sustainability in organic systems involves a range of issues from soil management and animal health to engagement with the public, but without financial stability a farming business cannot have a long term future. The paper will look at results from the survey carried out as part of the SOLID project which involved an assessment of the sustainability of 102 dairy cow and goat farms in 9 EU countries. Sustainability was assessed on each individual farm across the 12 “spurs” of : Soil Management, Biodiversity, Landscape and Heritage, Water Management, Nutrient Management, Energy and Carbon, Food Security, Agricultural Systems Diversity, Social Capital, Farm Business Resilience and Animal Health and Welfare. The paper will examine the lessons that farmers can learn from this survey and how it might be used to bench mark their business and help them to develop a more truly sustainable business.
