Promoting clover-grass: Implications for agricultural land use in Finland

Lehtonen, Heikki; Niskanen, Olli

doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2016.09.005

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…As already mentioned above, validation of DREMFIA model is not only based on the economic value of production but also on bio-physical feed and nutrient flows. Validation of the DREMFIA model has improved over several earlier applications, especially in terms of nitrogen processes and greenhouse gas emissions (Lehtonen 2013), clover-grass forage production activities and related effects on the milk yields of dairy cows (Lehtonen and Niskanen 2016). Validation of the DREMFIA model has also improved in evaluating the effects of agri-environmental policies (Lehtonen and Rankinen 2015) and the effects of reduced red meat consumption on production, exports and imports (Lehtonen and Irz 2013).…”

Section: -mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of reducing EU agricultural support payments on production and farm income in Finland

Lehtonen

Niemi

2018

AFSci

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The budget for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the EU, and thus EU agricultural support payments, may be reduced from 2021. In this study we analyse the effects this may have in Finland using an economic model of Finnish agriculture accounting for structural changes in the dairy and beef sectors. Reducing the CAP budget by 20% would affect farm incomes by 20–25% in southern Finland while central and northern parts of the country, which are dependent on national payments coupled to dairy and beef production, would be less affected. Our results show that the milk and beef sectors throughout the country are still dependent on support payments coupled to production due to reduced real prices for agricultural products. Current policy schemes for southern Finland include coupled CAP payments but do not allow national payments. Any cuts in the CAP budget have significantly more negative effects in southern Finland compared to other regions.

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Section: -mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of reducing EU agricultural support payments on production and farm income in Finland

Lehtonen

Niemi

2018

AFSci

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“…Beyond this critical radius, soybean-based fodder is dominant. As silage is often cultivated in areas with high dairy production, manure spreading with high nutrient content may also restrict clover-grass cultivation (Lehtonen and Niskanen 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Monocultures are studied for comparison with crop rotations, and also because monocultures are still practiced in Finland, although crop rotations are becoming more widespread (Toukoluoto and Peltonen 2015). Heikkinen et al (2013) estimated that the area under crop rotation in 1995-2009 was 46% of the total cropland area in Finland (defined as including both annual and perennial crops) and Lehtonen and Niskanen (2016) estimated the total area of clover-grass silage as 84,000 ha in 2012.…”

Section: Agronomic Set-upmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The transport distance up to which it is more profitable to use red clover silage is in this case 18 km for the private farmer. This explains partly why the land area devoted to legume cultivation is restricted to the current land areas (estimated as 84,000 ha in 2012 in Lehtonen and Niskanen 2016). Note that the distance would be 51 km for society when climate damage is accounted for (and longer if water damage is added).…”

Section: Environmental Impacts and Social Welfarementioning

confidence: 99%

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Does crop rotation with legumes provide an efficient means to reduce nutrient loads and GHG emissions?

Lötjönen

Ollikainen

2017

Rev Agric Food Environ Stud

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We investigate crop rotation with legumes from economic and environmental perspectives by asking how effective they are at providing profits and reducing nutrient runoff and greenhouse gas emissions compared with monoculture cultivation. We study this effectiveness in three alternative policy regimes: the free market optimum, the Finnish agri-environmental scheme, and socially optimal cultivation, and also design policy instruments to achieve the socially optimal outcomes in land use and fertilization. We first develop an analytical model to describe crop rotation and the role of legumes, and examine its implications for water and climate policies. Drawing on Finnish agricultural data, we then use numerical simulations and show that shifting from monoculture cultivation to crop rotation with legumes provides economically and environmentally better outcomes. Crop rotation with legumes also reduces the variability in profits caused by stochastic weather. The optimal instruments implementing the social optimum depend on nutrient and climate damage (nitrogen tax), as well as carbon sequestration and nutrient reduction benefits (buffer strip subsidy).

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“…The most important forage legume is red clover (Trifolium pratense). Timothy-red clover mixes are used as well [15]. The level of nitrogen fertilization per hectare of timothy or timothy-meadow fescue swards is relatively high (180-200 kg N/ha), but it is significantly lower (50-100 kg N/ha) in the case of timothy-clover forages [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Higher Crop Yield Levels in the North Savo Region—Means and Challenges Indicated by Farmers and Their Close Stakeholders

et al. 2018

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The sustainable intensification of farming systems is expected to increase food supply and reduce the negative environmental effects of agriculture. It is also seen as an effective adaptation and mitigation strategy in response to climate change. Our aim is to determine farmers' and other stakeholders' views on how higher crop yields can be achieved from their currently low levels. This was investigated in two stakeholder workshops arranged in North Savo, Finland, in 2014 and 2016. The workshop participants, who were organized in discussion groups, considered some agricultural policies to discourage the improvement of crop yields. Policy schemes were seen to support extensification and reduce the motivation for yield improvements. However, the most important means for higher crop yields indicated by workshop participants were improved soil conditions with drainage and liming, in addition to improved crop rotations, better sowing techniques, careful selection of cultivars and forage grass mixtures. Suggested solutions for improving both crop yields and farm income also included optimized use of inputs, focusing production at the most productive fields and actively developed farming skills and knowledge sharing. These latter aspects were more pronounced in 2016, suggesting that farmers' skills are increasingly being perceived as important.

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Promoting clover-grass: Implications for agricultural land use in Finland

Cited by 6 publications

References 8 publications

Effects of reducing EU agricultural support payments on production and farm income in Finland

Effects of reducing EU agricultural support payments on production and farm income in Finland

Does crop rotation with legumes provide an efficient means to reduce nutrient loads and GHG emissions?

Higher Crop Yield Levels in the North Savo Region—Means and Challenges Indicated by Farmers and Their Close Stakeholders

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