Sweden! - International Federation of Agricultural Journalists

32 SOLUTIONS FOR A GREEN FUTURE
What is good for
the farmers wallet can also
be good for the environment
“Conserving resources is a key in our business.
That it is beneficial for the environment
is a bonus,” explains Teri Lee, born
and raised on a farm in Kansas, but rooted
in Sweden since 1982.
From initially limiting the sustainable
approach to their own farm, Mr. and Mrs.
Eriksson gradually widened the circle to
the surrounding area. By combining modern
and traditional techniques, Wiggeby
has reduced the leakage of nitrogen and
phosphorus into the aquatic environment
for many years. And, the farm has also
reduced its fertilizer costs.
“You have to keep chasing costs and
margins all the time. There’s no need to use
more fertilizer than is necessary to get a
certain yield,” says Håkan, acknowledging
an eagerness to test new technologies and
use them to their fullest.
In 2010, he and Teri Lee received an
acknowledgement of society’s gratitude for
their work in reducing agriculturally related
eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. The
World Wildlife Fund honoured them with
the award “Baltic Farmer of the Year” along
with a cheque for 10,000 Euros.
“Climate Smart, but Not Organic” was
the headline in a Stockholm newspaper
that rarely covers agriculture. The reporter
had earlier associated environmental
concerns with small-scale and organic farming.
She was surprised by what she saw at
Wiggeby, which cultivates 600 hectares of
grains, silage, oilseeds and field peas.