This paper will review the factors that will, over the next 10-15 years, determine the sustainability of UK livestock farms. Based on an analysis of the industry as it is today and an assessment of the likely impacts of CAP reform, I will argue that there is likely to be a greater plurality of enterprise. For those farms wishing to compete in a global market at commodity prices, cost efficiency will remain paramount, but there will also be incentives driving towards greater vertical and horizontal integration. Such farms are likely to comply with best practice, but would not see the delivery of environmental goods as an essential part of the farm’s outputs. I will consider for such producers what advantages may accrue from the rapid deployment of new technology. Under these circumstances, quality considerations will emphasise reliability and safety over taste and (possibly) health benefits, with the need to remain competitive on price remaining paramount. Efficiency gains will only bring a brief benefit to producers, with competition rapidly forcing the benefits further down the food chain.