Response to interpellation 2023/24:683 on small-scale livestock farming for food production
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
KD argues that both small and large farms are important for food supply and a living countryside 1. KD emphasizes that regulatory simplification is a priority for all companies and that the investigation should present proposals in March 2025 2 3. KD argues that the goal is increased food production and that diversified production is important for preparedness 3 4. KD believes that the authorities must become better at working with regulatory simplifications and their responses 4. KD wants to turn the sectoral thinking from regulating to supporting and developing the production of food in the country 4. C argues that the current regulatory framework is adapted for large-scale operations and not for small-scale animal husbandry 5 6.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Landsbygdsministern Peter Kullgren (KD)
Mr. Speaker! Anders W Jonsson has asked me what measures I and the government plan to take to promote small-scale animal husbandry for food production.
In Sweden and in the world, a structural transformation in agriculture has been ongoing for a long time. The development is driven by the mechanization of heavy work and by companies striving for income development in line with the rest of society, which leads to ever larger farms. Today, prices for milk and other agricultural commodities are determined by the world market. Swedish producers also need to be competitive in order to develop and survive.
The Government assesses that both small and large companies are important for Swedish food supply and for a living countryside. Agricultural policy is an important tool to promote the development of both small and large farms, through for example support for business development and small-scale food processing. Furthermore, environmental compensations are provided to mountain pastures (fäbodar) and the maintenance of meadow and pasture lands, which offers opportunities for several smaller companies to compete on the market with certain unique products. Compensation support is provided to farms with agricultural land in areas with poorer conditions.
The Government sees that many different actors in the food chain are requesting regulatory simplifications.
The Government is working intensively to develop an updated food strategy within the framework of the parliamentary goal, which will be established by the Government as Food Strategy 2.0 and whose purpose is to strengthen profitability and competitiveness as well as increase food production.
The Food Strategy 2.0 will become a strategy for the entire food chain, both large and small food producers. During the work, we have already made several important decisions. The Government has, among other things, appointed an inquiry whose purpose is to strengthen the competitiveness in the food chain and create a more efficient control structure that ensures equal competitive conditions and simplifies things for the companies operating in the areas of food, feed, and animal by-products. The inquiry shall, among other things, propose measures that particularly facilitate for micro-enterprises with diversified activities in the food chain.
Anders W Jonsson (C)
Mr. Speaker! A few weeks ago, I did something absolutely fantastic. I visited Lillhärjåbygget. Lillhärjåbygget is a mountain farm located in southwestern Härjedalen - completely roadless land. These mountain farms were created in the early 1800s when the interior of Norrland was to be colonized. The farmer who moved out with his family received as much land as one could ride around from sunrise to sunset. Most chose Midsummer Eve, of course.
This farm is unique, because it is the only farm where farming is still practiced. When it comes to most other farms that remain, it is more about tourism. But on this farm, the same family has practiced farming for more than 100 years.
It is a completely fantastic place to visit. They describe how they have struggled through the years and how dedicated they are when it comes to continuing with this. In the discussion, one naturally arrives at the question: What is the biggest problem for you when it comes to continuing this? The biggest problem is not the dedication of the family. It is very strong. The big problem is also not the finances. This is completely unique in Sweden. Therefore, the County Administrative Board in Jämtland has provided financial support that makes it possible to continue this.
Mr. Speaker! The greatest challenge concerns the laws and regulations that exist in Sweden, which are overall no longer adapted to small-scale animal husbandry. This is not unique to Lillhärjåbygget. This is also encountered to a large extent in the mountain farming, which we still have in Sweden. It is, therefore, a regulatory framework that is adapted on the basis that you have 50, 100, 150 or 750 milk-producing cows, not 7, as at Lillhärjåbygget. There, one does not have the large breeds either, but there one has a breed called fjällnära ko. Many are familiar with fjällkon, but this is a significantly smaller breed than fjällkon, which in itself is very small.
They gave a long series of examples of the concerns they face. That is why I promised that I would call the Minister for Rural Affairs to the chamber to answer the question: What does the government intend to do to facilitate small-scale animal husbandry for food production? It is therefore not about food production in itself - I could stand for many hours describing the difficulties small-scale producers have there - but about the animal husbandry.
The answer I receive from the Minister for Rural Affairs shows a bit that one at the ministry might not be aware of the challenges involved, because the answer is that a structural transformation is taking place in Swedish agriculture. Hear and behold! Yes, the one who does not know that it has been happening for more than 100 years is probably not born. It is precisely this that is the problem for the small-scale producers. The entire regulatory framework is adapted for the large-scale livestock farmers, and nothing is done based on those who conduct farming on a small scale.
Section two of the Minister's response concerns the economy. If that is, I have not asked at all, given that the County Administrative Board in Jämtland has provided financial support. This has been designated as a cultural reserve, and it is, as said, completely unique in Sweden, likely also in the Nordic countries.
The third is that the Minister for Rural Affairs tells us about the food strategy. But this is not about that. Lillhärjåbygget has no such food production, rather it is a self-sufficient agriculture where one basically lives on what one produces or what one gets from the cows.
My question to the Minister remains: What specific measures will be taken to also adapt the regulations for animal husbandry to these small-scale animal keepers?
Landsbygdsministern Peter Kullgren (KD)
Mr. Speaker! The conditions differ between farms, to a large extent. In the member's interpellation, the mountain farming Lillhärjåbygget is mentioned. As I believe the member knows, I cannot comment on specific individual cases, whether I want to or not.
However, it is crystal clear in many of the conversations I have with farmers and representatives of the entire food chain, large as well as small, that the need for regulatory simplification is enormous. It is about simplifying and improving service and about treatment. This is something that we, of course, must focus on if we are to strengthen the competitiveness of all our companies.
Sweden's administrative structure often poses difficulties. With many municipalities and county administrative boards responsible for doing their part of the supervision, challenges are created for uniform control. The member may think what they want about the work with Food Strategy 2.0, but it is clear that regulatory simplification for both large and small food producers will be a significant part of the work. As the member knows, it works such that if far-reaching changes are to be made in supervision and structure, investigations must be appointed. This is something that the government has also done in the area.
Given the general descriptive part that is often found in an interpellation response, the member chooses not to mention that there is a targeted part in the investigations concerning the very small companies and the important food producers.
The simplification inquiry shall submit its final report on its assignment on 31 March 2025.
Anders W Jonsson (C)
Mr. Speaker! The Minister must not get away with claiming that it is about a specific case, namely Lillhärjåbygget. I have chosen to highlight Lillhärjåbygget because it is a typical example, but one faces exactly the same challenges as within the entire sheep farming and forestry.
Let me say a few words so that the minister will understand concretely. In livestock farming in Sweden, there is to be a certain number of centimeters per cow. When the inspectors come out to a mountain pasture - in this case Lillhärjåbygget - they see that 38 centimeters are missing. Then a directive is issued with the meaning that it cannot be like that. Even if the cow is doing well, the stall must be modified. Everyone understands that if a small cow weighing 200 kilos is placed in a very large stall, it will not be for the cow's best interest.
I called the caseworker at the County Administrative Board and asked if there was a difference for a cow weighing 600 kilos and one weighing 200 kilos, as these small cows do. But according to the official, the tables only went down to 400 kilos. This is what the question is concretely about, and it is this regulatory framework that the minister is responsible for.
Another concrete example that one encounters in fädobruk, utmarksbruk, is that according to current rules, a bull must be kept in a box. It may not be tied in a stall. But fädobruk and utmarksbruk are based on the fact that even a bull must be handled, that is, you must hold it in a stall so that the bull can go out in the same way as the other cows. I could bring up many other concrete examples.
The Minister is responsible for a regulatory framework that is adapted to the large-scale livestock farmers but not at all to the small-scale livestock farmers. That is why I wanted the Minister to come here - to describe which proposals will be presented that involve adapting not only to those who have 750 dairy cows on their farm but also to those who have 7 or perhaps 8. Lillhärjåbygget and other small-scale livestock farmers describe that the biggest problem is the laws and regulations that the Minister is responsible for.
If one is serious about the fact that all of Sweden should live and that it is also important with the small-scale producers, one must come forward with concrete proposals on how these situations can be solved. This is not about the food production itself. There, it is also important to change a long series of laws to facilitate the small-scale. But this is about the animal husbandry itself. When will the Minister present concrete proposals aimed at supporting and facilitating for the heroes, those who make a fantastic contribution to the Swedish cultural landscape and preserve a centuries-old tradition?
It cannot just be about the large-scale producers, and this was my question. To be given the answer that there are grants and that the structural transformation has been ongoing for more than 100 years—that was not what the question was about. This is about a regulatory framework aimed at efficiency and large-scale production, and those who want to engage in small-scale farming or upland farming are left completely aside. That is where my concrete question lies, and that is where I want an answer from the Minister.
Landsbygdsministern Peter Kullgren (KD)
Mr. Speaker! On March 31, 2025, the investigation will hopefully present a long series of proposals on how we simplify the rules. It sounds like Anders W Jonsson is making a huge fuss over the question of responsibility when I already stated in my introduction how much this government has launched. It would have preferred to have been launched several years earlier. But then it did not quite sound the same from the Center Party, I note.
Of course, the small farmers are needed, and of course, the large farmers are needed. My and the government's overall perspective for agricultural policy is that we shall increase food production in Sweden. At the same time as we have an uncertain situation in our surrounding world, with the geopolitical situation and several cases of broken supply chains, large as well as small farms, spread across the entire country, can deliver when all is peaceful and quiet. But they will also be able to deliver in a better way in times of crisis and anxiety. Then the entire scale, from the small to the large, is needed.
Just as I have mentioned a few times, regulatory simplifications are very high on the agenda for Sweden's farmers and for the government. That is also why we have commissioned these inquiries, which are to present proposals on how we should simplify for both the large and the small.
Anders W Jonsson (C)
Mr. Speaker! It is obvious that I am not getting through to the Minister so that he understands what I actually mean. I completely agree that we must increase the total food production in the country. I am aware of the challenges in Swedish agriculture. But what I have chosen to bring up here are the specific problems that large-scale agriculture does not have but that small-scale agriculture does, that is to say those who practice extensive farming and upland farming. Lillhärjåbygget is a good example.
I would urge the minister to take the time to go there and actually try to understand what it is about. The authorities that the government governs do the exact opposite. The latest announcement is that the organization for fäbodbrukare and utmarksbrukare, the only organization fighting for that small group, is losing its grant from Naturvårdsverket because the agency claims that it is not a democratic organization. Those are the signals that the government and the authorities are sending out.
I would really urge the Minister that if there is a genuine will from the government and the Minister to support small-scale animal husbandry in the country - outmark farming, fäbod farming, and not least Lillhärjåbygget - to change and do the right thing. Ensure that focus is placed on these problems. They concern something other than what is also very important, namely the challenges of agriculture as a whole.
Small-scale farming is worth preserving, not least for reasons of preparedness and considering the cultural-historical significance. The County Administrative Board of Jämtland County has been exemplary in providing support. But the challenge lies not in what the County Administrative Board does, but in the laws and regulations for which the Minister is ultimately responsible.
Landsbygdsministern Peter Kullgren (KD)
Mr. Speaker! The government's policy aims for food production to increase in Sweden. That is the overarching agricultural policy goal. This means that large as well as small agricultural enterprises are extremely important in various aspects.
The perspective of preparedness has emerged in the recent period following the pandemic and Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, and it has highlighted how important a diversified food production is in our country. There must be more and stronger actors, both in their smallness and in their greatness.
It is obvious that the member has not read the directives for the investigations that we have presented. Had the member done so, the member would hopefully have been able to give some reassuring messages to the farmers that the member meets in their capacity.
I am happy to meet farmers of all sizes and shapes and will continue to do so.
I believe that we need to gain a better understanding of the conditions of our agricultural entrepreneurs. That is precisely why we insist that the authorities must become better at working with regulatory simplifications and with their approach, and also turn the sectoral thinking from regulating to supporting and developing the production of our food here in the country.
When it comes to an umbrella for this work, it boils down to the food strategy work 2.0, where we involve large parts of the industry we have in the area. That work continues.
Many thanks for an important debate!
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.