Industrial Animal Farms in Sweden

1. Industrial Animal Farmsin Sweden Industrial Animal Farm Conference Warsaw, Poland 6 December 2013 Coalition Clean Baltic, Gunnar Norén, gunnar.noren@ccb.se

2. Agricultural Land Total agricultural land in Sweden is 3,43 million ha It represents about 8,4% of total Swedish land Source: Statistics Sweden Total agricultural land area in the country (ha): 2,7 million ha (6,5%) is arable land 0,7 million ha (1,2%) are pasture of a total of 41,1 million ha (excluding large lakes and watercourses) Source: Jordbruksverket, 2005 Statistical Data

3. Statistical Data Number of Animal Farms in Sweden Animal Farms Source: Naturvårdsverket

4. Statistical Data Intensive rearing of animals in Sweden Source: Naturvårdsverket

5. Statistical Data Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) surplus Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) surplus for the agricultural sector in Sweden in 2009 Source: Statistics Sweden

6. Management of Natural Fertilizers-Fertilization plans In Sweden there is a requirement of fertilization plans on farmlands The farms with more than 400 AU must provide: • An Environmental Impact Assessments, incl a Fertilization plan (when the farm is established or when the AU changes) • A yearly Environmental reportof activities (for all farms with more than 100 AU) The farms must be able to (in the EIA): • Explain how they arrive at crops’s nitrogen needs and which type of fertilization is carried out. • Provide a crop management plan or fertilization plan in a written form • To provide a book keeping of the performed fertilization. The journal should: • Indicate which field is referred to • Which size of area it has • What crop is sown and sowing date • N and P-application per hector, on farmland fields • Type and amount of fertilizer applied

7. Management of Natural Fertilizers Spreading of Natural Fertilizers In ordinary farmlands (outside NVZ) • Authorized on arable land • Not authorized on grassland and pasture to protect the natural and cultural values of these areas • At least 2 maway from rivers and lakes (ditches?) • From 1 December to 28 February: Manures have to be incorporatedinto the soil within 12 hours after spreading.

8. Management of Natural Fertilizers Spreading of Natural Fertilizers In Nitrates Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) 9% of total Swedish land is allocated as NVZ. The NVZ were expanded in 2013. Map legend: Surrounded by red line: NVZ before 2013 In grey: NVZ in 2013 Source: Jordbruksverket

9. Management of Natural Fertilizers Spreading of manure in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones is regulated: • Remember not to spread more nitrogen than the crop can utilize for their growth. Adjust amount of manure/fertilizer applied depending on the crop, and environmental conditions of the current crop (But no control mechanism – only general advice) • No spreading of manure on water saturated and flooded areas • No spreading of manure on snow or frozen land • Spreading manure at least 2 m,from field edge adjacent to rivers/lakes (ditches?) • Maximum spreading of 170 N kg/ha/year

10. Management of Fertilizers The zone colored in blue and green (located in the south of Sweden) are zones with P-saturated soils. Any application of P-fertilizers on such soils is Over-fertilization . Source: Naturvårdsverket, 2010

11. Management of Natural Fertilizers Storage of Natural Fertilizers-Manure On ordinary farmland (outside NVZ) The minimum amount of time in storage: Source: Jordbruksverket

12. Management of Natural Fertilizers Storage of Natural Fertilizers-Manure In Nitrates Vulnerable Zones The minimum amount of time in storage: Source: Jordbruksverket * Minimum number of months in storage for manure produced in farms located in sensitive areas in Skåne, Halland and Blekinge County and identified as vulnerable coastal areas from VästraGötaland to Stockholm County including Öland and Gotland ** Minimum number of months in storage for manure produced in farms located in other sensitive areas in Jönköping, VästraGötaland, Värmland, Dalarna, Östergötland, Södermanland, Örebro, Västmanland, Uppsala, Stockholm County.

13. Social, Environmental and Legal problemes

14. National Implementation Programme (NIP) of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) Major challenges • To reduce the load of nutrients based on the maximum allowable inputs and nutrient reduction requirements. (Swe P-quota raised from 290 to 530 ton/ year) • BSAP includes a new approch based on the total load the Baltic Sea can take, without jeopardizing HELCOMs environmental targets for each individual country Reduction targets for Sweden, developed 2009 (for each sub-basin): • Baltic Proper: 8100 tonnes nitrogen and 290 phosphorus(new figure 530 ton/y) • Danish Straits: 1700 tonnes nitrogen • Kattegatt: 11 100 tonnes nitrogen

15. National Implementation Programme (NIP) of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) Implementation stage As of 2010: • The application of livestock manure may not exceed 170 kg total nitrogen per year. This rule is a complement to the already existing restriction stating that livestock manure and other organic fertilizer may not be applied in greater quantities than 22 kg total phosphorous per hectare per year. • The autumn application of easily accessible nitrogen to autumn sown crops may not exceed 60 kg per hectare (but there is no control if N-fertilizer application are balanced and if there is overfertilization ) • Fertilizer must not be applied to agricultural land closer than 2 meters to the edge of a watercourse or lake • Fertilizer must not be applied to agricultural land adjacent to watercourses or lakes or where the slope of the land towards the water exceeds 10% • The prohibition of spreading manure, other organic fertilizers, mineral fertilizers has been prolonged and the spreading is now forbidden between 1 november and 28 february. • The limitations concerning spreading of manure and other organic fertilizers during autumn have been further extended. Through these changes in the Swedish legislation the nitrogen load to the sea will approximately be reduced by 210 ton N per year (correspond to 2,2 % of the Swedish N-reduction target)

16. National Implementation Programme (NIP) of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) Some recommendations are given in a report on Technical Basis for Rural Programs: 2014-2020, produced by The Swedish Board of Agriculture and in a report on Environmental Regulations for Farms and Livestock produced in 2011 by Riksdagen (Swedish Parliament) Available here: http://www.jordbruksverket.se/download/18.7cc87f191379870d4318000846/1338444274897/Tekniskt+underlag+Landsbygdsprogram+2014-2020.pdf http://www.riksdagen.se/sv/Dokument-Lagar/Utredningar/Kommittedirektiv/Miljobestammelser-for-jordbruk_GZB149/ Recommendations include: • Investigating the possibility to develop and improve national regulations that apply to larger animal facilities • Analyzing whether it is appropriate to require special precautions for larger animal facilities • Investigating and formulating other changes to ensure the proper implementation of EU directives • Assessing how the implementation of a high standard of environmental control can contribute to simplification • Investigating regulation of industrial emissions. • Investigating the effects to achieve the environmental objective Zero eutrophication. • Assessing the environmental quality standards under the Regulation (2004:60) on the management of the quality of the aquatic environment. • Assessing the economic consequences for individuals and businesses as well as the impact of the proposals have on the competitiveness of the EU internal market.

17. Recommandations for Reduction and Control of Nutrient Run-Off from IAF in Baltic Sea Catchment Area Suggestions for actions that should be taken in order to decrease the Farmland Nutrient Run-off to fulfil the HELCOM objectives – Baltic Sea unaffected by eutrophication & Good Environmental Status : • Knowledge transfer of Best Baltic Practice on effective actions for Nutrient management More specific Plant Nutrition Planning (Fertilization planning) • Fertilization plans: Must be controlled and approved by authorities • (No control of nutrient balanced calculations(Swe)). -No approval of fertilization plans by authorities -Authorities has no knowledge whether fertilization plans are nutrient-balanced) • Strengthen the link between permit and control of permit implementation within authorities • (Weak links between permission and control within administration -Authorities giving permits – don’t control implementation of requirements in permits -Responsibilities for regulations/guidelines for manure management are split between federal-county-municipal level) • Reduced leaching in different ways (Controlled drainage; Sediment traps in ditches; Tree plants in ditches withhold nutrients) • Buffer zones/strips expanded towards wetted areas – Minimum standard (2-5 m), in Intensive production farmland (5-10 m) • Organic production – low-nutrient surplus agriculture • Environmental investments to • Construct and restore wetlands and ponds (in lower river systems to be effective) • Construct controlled drainage

18. Thank You!