Milk in Sweden

Milk
IN SWEDEN

Milk creates life,
jobs and health
PLOP! A LARGE BROWNISH-GREEN cowpat hits the ground. A
feast for dung beetles, dor beetles and buzzing fl ies. Which in turn
becomes food for the wheatears and other small birds. The tramping
of milk cows in the meadow also makes it easier for new plants to
grow. Without the animals’ grazing, a few types of herbs and grass
would probably have taken over and su� ocated the rest.
While the cows are vital conservationists, they also provide jobs
for large numbers of people throughout the country. Over 50,000
people form links in the chain that stretches from the cows’ food to
the milk containers on store shelves. Directly or indirectly, milk provides
the livelihood of feed producers, dairy farmers, dairy employees,
transport workers and, to a certain degree, retailers.
Milk is not only delicious and fi lling – it is also nutritious. A halflitre
contains as many as 18 of the 22 nutrients. These include calcium
and vitamin d, which counteract osteoporosis. Another component
is the protein lactoferrin, which appears to be able to protect
against cancer and infections. According to the most recent research
fi ndings, milk has a positive e� ect on cardiovascular functions and
milk protein contains substances that help lower blood pressure.
Moreover, experts claim that those who consume low-fat milk products
fi nd it easier to control their weight.
In an international comparison, Swedish dairy companies are far
ahead in their development of foods with specifi c, health-promoting
properties – known as functional foods. These include edible fats that
contain cholesterol-lowering omega-3 fatty acids, yoghurts containing
lactic acid bacteria that soothe the stomach, and oat-based fruit
drinks.
The Swedish National Food Administration recommends that all
persons over the age of three consume fi ve decilitres of milk or the
equivalent amount of milk products every day, throughout their life.
As a milk-producing country, Sweden is a natural. Indeed, we do
have a strong dairy tradition – as both producers and consumers.
Come with us on an exciting journey into the world of milk. You may
discover that milk means more than you think.
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Milk in a new,
innovative form
CONVENIENT AND GENUINE is what we want! As a
reaction to the consumer society and all its stress, people
have developed a longing for the authentic. At the same
time, we want to experience and enjoy things. There is
also an emerging trend toward greater focus on quality.
Milk fulfi ls all of these desires.
As consumers, we want to know where our food comes
from. We make demands in terms of fl avour, nutrition and
climate impact. And we’re ready to pay whatever it costs.
Milk has always had a strong position in Sweden. Apart
from water, milk is our most common drink with meals.
From having been a typical at-home drink, it has now
established itself in a more public sphere – particularly
through the ca� è latte trend. The same applies to milk
products. More and more people are having breakfast at
their corner store or grabbing a yoghurt drink and a
cheese sandwich in their car on the way to work.
We have become more mobile and simultaneously more
insistent on convenience. The portion-packaged milk prod-
Coffee to go in mugs with
the same design as
grandma’s best china.
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ucts fi t in perfectly with our new lifestyle. It’s so easy to
just pop them into your bag, easy to reseal them and
there’s no mess.
During the week, its rush, rush, rush, and maybe readycooked
food – but on the weekend, we relax and take it
easy. That’s when we’re happy to spend time preparing
food in the company of family and friends.
Studies conducted by the Swedish Dairy Association
show that authenticity is about reliability – being genuine,
good-quality, reliable, real, correct, proper and true.
“Natural” is associated with health.
WE WANT FEWER ADDITIVES, higher nutritional density,
and perhaps even a shorter best-before date. There has
been a marked increase in awareness and interest in what
we consume. A result of the insight that every ingredient
goes right into our cells, forming part of our bodies!
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“Milk and dairy products are key ingredients, and above all,
excellent sources of taste. Butter, the epitome of authenticity,
is obviously part of the trend.”
There is a growing market for food with special characteristics.
This can involve origin, health-promoting properties
or simply something really tasty, convenient and genuine.
Traditional methods of preparation and simple raw
materials, free of additives, are examples of genuine food.
CLEARLY WE DON’T WANT TO have to choose between
tasty and nutritious. We demand both. Driving the food
trends is our longing for Nordic or Swedish cuisine,
based on domestic raw materials. Obviously, milk and
dairy products are key ingredients in this, and above all,
excellent sources of taste. Butter, the epitome of authenticity,
is obviously part of the trend. Cheese, cultured products
and fl avoured milk are also increasingly popular, and
the convenience trend is boosting products such as seasoned
and herbed crème fraîche, ready-to-use soups and
sauces. At the same time, there is a great deal of product

BREAKFAST
Breakfast gives us
the ability to listen
and concentrate on
what we do for the
rest of the day. A
good breakfast in -
cludes a dairy product
such as milk,
soured milk or
yoghurt; bread, porridge
or muesli, vegetables
and a tasty
sandwich filler.
LUNCH
Lunch is a break,
du ring which we
want to rest and
enjoy. Accordingly,
interest has in creased
in ready-made
meals that enhance
conve ni ence. Tasty
and filling soups contribute
to making
lunch a relaxing
experience and leave
time for relaxation.
SNACKS
Dairy products are
being consumed
in new ways and
places. Flavour ed
milk, yoghurt with
health-promoting
addi tives, smo othies
and caffè latte fit in
with our new lifestyle.
DINNER
Food in a rush on
weekdays and hours
of cooking at the
week ends. Prefer ably
in the company of
family and friends.
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“Labelled for socially ethical production, local production, climate impact,
ecological production, luxury products and specially selected products.
Our interest often reflects our values.”
A beverage across the generations. Milk is beneficial at every age.
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development of low-fat and ecological products, as well
as low-sugar products.
We are curious about food origin. The product is so
much more interesting when we know it is from a specifi
c place or person and we are increasingly concerned
about how food is produced. Studies show that Swedish
dairy farmers, dairy companies and their brand names
enjoy a high level of confi dence among consumers.
Labelled for socially ethical production, local production,
climate impact, ecological production, luxury products
and specially selected products – these are some of
the selection criteria that are becoming increasingly common.
Variation, small-scale production methods and diversity
are also becoming increasingly relevant. Our interest
often refl ects our values.
YOUNG CONSUMERS OFTEN want to try something
new, though not where food is concerned. They tend to
feel secure with the same brand names they know from
the refrigerator in their childhood home – these are the
brands they look for when they begin to shop for themselves.
Major demographic changes create changes in the relative
strength of di� erent groups of consumers. In 1999,
there were about 35,000 fewer children born than in 1990.
This has a major e� ect on milk consumption, since children
between 5 and 14 are our largest consumers of milk.
Schoolchildren drink at least as much milk with their
school lunches as before – however, total consumption is
declining, since they are now so much fewer in number.
The Swedish National Food Administration’s recommendation
that everyone – young and old alike – should consume
fi ve decilitres of milk or dairy products per day,
shows how signifi cant milk is from a nutritional point of
view. Of the 22 nutrients that we need every day and that
are recommended, milk contains as many as 18. So milk is
obviously a “smart” drink – a 100 per cent natural energy
drink. A drink to remain loyal to throughout our lives.
CONTENTS:
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B6
Phosphorous
Thiamine
Selenium
Niacin
Zinc
Magnesium
Carbohydrates
Riboflavin
Calcium
Potassium
Protein
Folic acid
Lodine
Fat
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THE BATTLE FOR CONSUMERS occurs largely in stores.
Retail trends a� ect both the dairy companies and ultimately,
the consumers.
Retail stores are tightening their grip on suppliers,
including the dairy companies. One major change is that
centralized purchasing is becoming increasingly common.
Also, the retail sector is taking over responsibility for distribution.
To date, however, it is the dairy companies that
deliver fresh dairy products, such as milk, cultured milk
and yoghurt.
As part of the retail stores’ e� orts to enhance their e� -
ciency, store personnel have begun to handle replenishment
of products on shelves. In return, the suppliers have
reduced their prices. The dilemma is that this has reduced
suppliers’ ability to infl uence product exposure.
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The consumers’ shortage of time governs the retail offering.
Efficiency – an important
driving force for business
Another trend is that certain retail players no longer
accept sales visits in their stores, so suppliers must fi nd
new ways of marketing their products.
The Swedish retail store trade is dominated by ica, followed
by Coop, Axfood and Bergendahls. The two foreign
discount giants Lidl and Netto hold modest market shares.
With few independent wholesalers that are not tied to the
established convenience store chains, it is di� cult for new
players to become established in Sweden.
IT HAS BEEN RUMOURED for some time that the American
giant Wal-Mart and uk-based Tesco have been preparing
to establish themselves in Sweden, however, their
ex pansion plans prioritize China, Russia and India. The
Nordic region is much lower on their lists of priority.

Did you know…
Compared with many other EU
countries, Sweden has a small
proportion of retail own brands,
particularly in the dairy segment.
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Did you know…
The body can best absorb calcium
if calcium intake is distributed
throughout the day.

A number of years ago, the four Swedish retail groups
established themselves internationally, to varying degrees,
through acquisitions and mergers across national boundaries.
The Grocery Manufacturers of Sweden are expecting
further mergers, particularly among suppliers, but also
among retailers.
RETAILERS’ OWN BRANDS – the so-called private-label
brands – continue to grow in strength. Compared with
many other EU countries, Sweden has a small proportion
of proprietary brands, particularly in the dairy segment.
In certain product categories, the trend is toward a more
limited selection or no selection at all, however, there are
also examples where the range has actually increased. In
countries with a high proportion of proprietary brands,
private-label brands can be found in all price classes, from
the cheapest to the most expensive on the shelf.
Growth in the superstore and discount segment is
expected to remain high. At the same time, however,
If consumers are allowed to
choose, food should be ecological,
healthy and easy to prepare.
many consumers have thicker wallets and the demand for
more exclusive, high-added-value products is increasing.
Specialty goods and non-food products are areas in
which the convenience store industry is heavily increasing
its investing. The industry is also adapting itself to growing
health trends. Locally produced and ecological products are
proliferating on store shelves. There is an increasing focus
on environmental impact throughout the value chain.
According to a general forecast for Europe, the percentage
of convenience-store trade conducted via the Internet
will be about 15–25 per cent in 2016. In the opinion of the
Grocery Manufacturers, these fi gures are far too high for
Sweden, considering that Internet shopping in this sector
is currently negligible. Despite the poor success with previous
e� orts, retail chains have not give up. New solutions
are under development. Industry peers in other countries
have demonstrated profi tability in their Internet stores,
and several analysts believe that the commodity in shortest
supply for consumers in the future will be time.
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New world
of dairies
DAIRY COUNTERS OCCUPY increasingly large spaces in
the stores. Consumers want variation and new products.
Dairy companies have not been slow to respond to these
wishes. Product development is intensive. Success demands
products with added value – whether it is a health argument,
tempting packaging or something that makes food
preparation easier. The dairy companies must also take
into consideration the fact that single-person households
are increasingly common.
The dairy companies have invested heavily in expanding
strong proprietary brand names. The challenge is also
to develop a range that includes all price classes and the
stores’ own “private-label” brands. In an international perspective,
Swedish dairy companies are among the
leaders as regards developing new tastes and food
innovations involving special health characteristics.
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The dairies’ market crosses
international boundaries.
The import of cheese is
mainly from Denmark, the
Netherlands and Germany.
Exports are primarily
destined for Den mark,
Finland, Greece and
Russia.
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Swedish milk is a highly controlled food and quality control is well-developed. This guarantees consumers the best quality throughout the
In total, there are 15 dairy companies in Sweden. Seven
of them are members of the industry organisation the
Swedish Dairy Association and account for over 99 per
cent of the country’s milk production. The others are dairy
farms of varying size. The seven large companies are all
cooperatives. Competition between the dairy companies
has increased, locally and globally.
ARLA FOODS, BY FAR THE LARGEST, processes about
two-thirds of Swedish milk and is the only company that
can be considered a global player. The other large companies
are: Milko, Skånemejerier, Norrmejerier, Falköpings
meje ri, Gefl eortens mejeriförening and Gäsene mejeriförening.
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In the rest of Europe, further mergers and cooperation
between di� erent dairy players are expected. In particular,
the newest members of the eu tend to have many
small dairies that will probably soon form amalgamations,
even across national borders. Investing in new markets,
such as China and India, is capital-intensive and
consequently attractive only to extremely large, strong
players.
The industry devotes considerable e� ort to developing
its exports of bulk products to include more value-added
products. Swedish dairy companies export mainly valueadded
products in the form of cheese and milk powder,
while imports mainly consist of cheese and yoghurt.
Cheese imports are more than twice as high as exports.

hain from feeding to packaging.
Cheese is mainly imported from Denmark, the Netherlands
and Germany. Our own cheese is exported mainly to
Denmark, Finland, Greece and Russia.
Our largest trade volumes are with our neighbours
– Denmark and Finland. Relatively large quantities of
butter and milk powder are exported to Oman and Saudi
Arabia.
One of our well-aged Swedish hard cheeses, Svecia,
holds a Protected Designation of Origin within the eu –
just like the well-known Italian cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano.
This protection implies that Svecia may only be
produced in certain regions of Sweden and in accordance
with the original recipe.
Grevé ® , Präst ® and Herrgård ® are registered eu trade-
marks, which imply legal protection of the trademark
within the eu. Hushållsost is protected as a “Guaranteed
Traditional Specialty” within the eu, implying that is must
be manufactured in accordance with the original recipe.
Västerbottensost ® , is another Swedish classic that has be -
come a favourite of many chefs.
SWEDISH DAIRY PRODUCTS are safe food. Apart from
exacting quality monitoring by the Swedish authorities,
the dairy companies rigorously apply control programs of
their own, which are approved by the Swedish National
Food Administration. The aim is of course to guarantee
consumers top quality throughout the chain, from feed to
packaged product.
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Dairy enterprise
for the future
A SELF-PROPELLED SCRAPER pushes fertilizer away
from the ribbed concrete fl oor. Simultaneously, a driverless
wagon glides along the feed trough to distribute the
feed. The heavy duties of the dairy farms are increasingly
automated. As the farms grow, many choose to install
milking robots. From a fi nancial point of view, the best
model is still stalls where the dairy farmers operate the
milking machine themselves.
Milking robots are more a way of improving the work
environment and bringing more freedom to cows and people.
The cow itself chooses when it wants to be milked
and the dairy farmer is spared having to sit in uncomfortable
positions in the milking pit. The more the technology
develops and the more cows a robot can manage, the
more attractive it becomes. There are many working hours
to be won, but the important interaction between man
and beast is preserved. Another alternative is the milking
carousel. For this technology to be fi nancially advantageous,
extremely large herds are required.
Swedish milk production is constantly changing. Since
the 1960s, the original total of 200,000 dairy farmers has
shrunk to slightly more than 7,000. Those with smaller
herds quit, while those with larger herds become even
larger. In the 1960s, the average size of a herd was 10–14
cows. Today, the corresponding fi gure is around 50 and
those that embark on new construction generally plan, on
average, for 130 cows.
The total number of cows is declining (just under
400,000 cows in 2006, as compared with 1,200,000 in
1960), but at the same time, the yield is increasing somewhat.
A little more than 40 years ago, the average yield
was about 10 kg of milk per cow per day. With their current
yield of around 30 kg of milk per day, Swedish dairy
cows are among the top performers in the world. There
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“Around 40 per cent of all Swedish cows move around freely in the cow-house. This
solution is also called non-confinement and represents the wave of the future.”
are a few record-breaking cows in Sweden that actually
deliver double that yield.
A relatively high yield is necessary for milk production
to be profi table in our country where cold winters require
expensive stall buildings. Healthy animals are the most
critical parameter in achieving success. This presupposes
a comfortable stall environment with clean air, well-balanced
feed and particularly, thorough disease-prevention
measures. Naturally, constant concern for the animals
welfare is a given. For many years, we have had the most
stringent animal-protection legislation in the world. While
on the one hand, it raises costs for the industry, on the
other, it has driven the dairy farmers to achieve worldleading
results in animal health. The high level of expertise
of Swedish dairy farmers is widely acknowledged and
in many areas in international contexts, they have set the
standards that others strive to equal.
AROUND 40 PER CENT of all Swedish cows move
around freely in the cow-house. This solution is also
called non-confi nement and represents the wave of the
future – the method in which all new farm developers are
investing. Basic, uninsulated stalls are cheaper and quite
adequate for the cows. Even so, some farmers opt for heated
housing, for the sake of their own work environment.
There is an emerging trend for milk production – which
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used to be relatively evenly distributed throughout the
country – to grow more strongly in certain regions. Dairy
farming is growing particularly in the so-called dairy belt
in the south of Sweden. Willingness to invest is also increa sing
among farmers along the Northern coast, where there
is a shortage of employment alternatives. On the other
hand, there is an apparent tapering-o� of milk production
in the Mälar Valley region and the province of Dalarna.
TO SATISFY CONSUMERS’ PREFERENCES, Sweden will
have to produce more organic milk. In 2006, slightly more
than 5 per cent of all milk produced was organic. Above
all, ecological milk production demands more land for feed
production and grazing. It takes a total of two years to convert
a dairy farm into an approved ecological supplier.
The abbreviations of our most common dairy cow breeds
are: srb, slb, skb and sjb. The Nordic breed “Swedish Red
and White Breed” (srb) and the black-and-white “Swedish
Friesian Breed” (slb) are basically equally common, as
they account for 46 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively,
of all milk cows. slb is also called Holstein, and originates
from the Netherlands and northern Ger many. Cross-breeding
of these two breeds is also common. This results in
animals with better health and fertility, as well as higher
yield.
The white “Swedish Polled Cattle” (skb) is actually the
most Swedish breed. It accounts for less than 1 per cent of
the dairy cows. The yellowish-brown Swedish Jersey Breed
(sjb), which originated on the Isle of Jersey, accounts for
an equally small percentage.
Swedish dairy farmers focus strongly on developing
their dairy companies. Many gain inspiration from abroad.
To succeed in an increasingly challenging market, with
international competition, they have to be shrewd business
people. They have to bargain at every stage and exert
downward pressure on costs upstream in the supply chain.
The milking robot increases freedom for
cows and humans.

As the farm grows, new personnel are needed. A farm
requires about one employee per 50 cows. While the role
of employer is demanding, many also perceive it as a step
up the social ladder. Cooperation among dairy farms is
increasingly common, as is joint ownership of machinery
or several smaller farms collaborating on a jointly owned
cow-house. Apart from increasing profi tability, such cooperation
puts dairy farmers in contact with their colleagues
and gives them more free time.
ANOTHER TREND IS FOR SOME farmers to specialize in
keeping recruitment animals or in receiving bull calves
from the dairy farms. It is more usual that dairy farmers
purchase feed from nearby farms instead of growing as
much as possible themselves.
Did you know…
One in five Swedes can envisage
becoming a dairy farmer. The
prospect is most attractive
among persons aged 32 to 43.
Advisers are increasingly signifi cant in the support they
provide to dairy farmers, helping them combine biology,
technology and fi nance to the best e� ect, and keeping the
farms up to date with the latest research fi ndings, advan ced
computer systems, etc. This also applies to advice on
environmental management on the farm. Most of the
en vironmental focus concerns reducing the use of nitrogen
fertilizer.
The fact that the number of applications to agricultural
colleges is record-high indicates that confi dence in the
future is increasing in the industry. There are both large
and small dairy farms that are profi table. For those with
the desire and the ability to invest the necessary e� ort,
there are excellent opportunities for successful entrepreneurship.
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Healthy cows and
favourable climate
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MOOING CONTENTEDLY, SWEDISH COWS bound out
to the pasture. It is a legal right they have enjoyed since
1988, uniquely in the world except for Finnish cows. The
barn door stays open for at least two months. The cows
come in when it’s time for them to be milked. Strong and
healthy from all the exercise and fresh air.
Add to that the benefi ts they reap from grazing on seaside
meadows, pastureland and fi elds that the farmer has
planted with grass and clover. All that tramping and eating,
and every dollop of manure, promotes biological
diversity. Some natural Swedish pasturelands are in fact
among the most species-rich plant communities in the
world. Many insects, plants and birds would have been
lost if these open landscapes had been allowed to become
overgrown.
Swedish dairy farmers can say with pride that Sweden
has a world-class standard of animal health.
The secret behind this success is careful disease-prevention
measures, focusing on a comfortable stall environment,
the best possible feed and proper animal care.

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“For dairy farmers, the aim is to serve up the optimal mix of
protein and rough feed, vitamins and minerals. Because cows
are like athletes.”
Sweden has the world’s most stringent animal-protection
legislation. On top of that, the industry has created its
own, voluntary animal-care programs.
Enormous patience and years of research lie behind
Sweden’s breeding success, which takes into consideration
not only how much milk the cow produces but also its
well-being. This has made Sweden a world leader at breeding
healthy, robust livestock. Consequently, Swedish bull
sperm is a hot export product. Swedish dairy farmers’
excellent knowledge about their animals is partly due to
the Swedish Dairy Association’s cattle database, which has
existed since the 1960s. Everything worth knowing can be
found in the database.
SWEDISH DAIRY FARMERS have traditionally been
extre mely conservative in regards to giving antibiotics to
the animals and it has never been done as a preventive
measure. By law, any treatment must be preceded by a
veterinarian’s diagnosis. The veterinarian is in turn required
to declare the reason for administering antibiotics
to the Swedish Board of Agriculture. Many other countries
now have problems with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and
diseases that can be transferred from animals to humans
through food.
When the eu reviews its animal-health legislation, the
Swedish model serves as an example in many respects.
Sweden prohibited growth antibiotics in animal feed back
in 1986 – to name one example. Twenty years later, the eu
introduced a corresponding prohibition and it will probably
soon introduce pasture-grazing regulations similar to
Sweden’s.
Sweden also has the most stringent regulations in the
entire eu regarding salmonella control. Now, because of
its unusually favourable salmonella situation, Sweden has

eceived special permission to inspect food imported into
the country. Similarly, Sweden has extensive monitoring of
bse (mad cow disease), and has only had one case to date
– as compared with the uk, which has had more than
184,000 cases.
THE SWEDISH DAIRY ASSOCIATION’S feed experts continuously
update the advisers on the latest fi ndings. For
dairy farmers, the aim is to serve up the optimal mix of
protein and rough feed, vitamins and minerals. Because
cows are like athletes. Without nutritious food, proper
care and good health, they cannot perform their best.
Did you know…
Moving out to pasture in the spring
is also popular among humans.
Swedish cows are among the best milk cows in the world.
Healthy animals and well-blended top-quality feed are
key success factors. Add to them a favourable climate.
Favourable, because our cold winters wipe out many disease-causing
fungi, parasites, viruses, bacteria and insects.
Sweden’s geography, with relatively small fi elds and croplands,
also inhibits the spread of pests. The country’s long
water boundary also protects it from diseases found in
many other countries.
A favourable climate and advantageous geography have
also given Sweden a lead regarding the use of herbicides
and pesticides. That, and strict regulations on when,
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“Moreover, locally grown feed is a
matter of profiling for the industry.
A full 90 per cent of Swedish cows’
feed comes from fields in Sweden.”
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where and what dairy farmers may spray, have led to relatively
low use of chemical weed-killers, for example.
Unavoidably, production of animal-based food entails
emissions of pollutants that can have local and regional
environmental e� ects, such as acidifi cation and over fertilization.
However, nature is capable of cleaning a large
portion of these emissions by itself. Up to now, Swedish
dairy production has been relatively evenly distributed
throughout the country so the emissions are not especially
concentrated.
ANOTHER ADVANTAGE IS THAT our temperate, moist
climate provides su� cient precipitation to make artifi cial
irrigation of feed crops almost entirely unnecessary.
Moreover, locally grown feed is a matter of profi ling for
the industry. A full 90 per cent of Swedish cows’ feed

comes from fi elds in Sweden. By prioritizing a high percentage
of rough feed (silage, grazing, hay and corn), as
well as short feed transportation distances, Swedish milk
production contributes to local, regional and global environmental
e� orts.
DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS in the dairy sector must
comply with rigorous monitoring programs. The authorities
also regularly check for the presence of biocides and pharmaceutical
residues in milk. The results show that Swedishproduced
milk is well below the applicable limit values.
Altogether, this means that Swedish milk has many
forms of added value that have taken generations to build
up. Swedish milk means healthy, contented and lively
cows, beautiful open landscapes, and safe food that is
nutritious and unique.
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A cutting-edge
knowledge company
THE SWEDISH DAIRY ASSOCIATION is the industry
organisation that monitors, analyzes and lobbies on behalf
of Swedish dairy and livestock cooperatives to serve the
best interests of Swedish milk. The entire gamut of knowledge,
from genetics and cattle-raising to milk quality and
health, is combined in this one organisation. From cow to
consumer. The members of the Swedish Dairy Association
are the seven largest dairy cooperatives in Sweden, eight
livestock cooperatives, two semen-producing companies
and nine breed societies.
As the dairy sector’s interaction with the rest of the
world grows, new demands are placed on the industry
organisation. The Swedish Dairy Association is a cuttingedge
knowledge-based enterprise with well-established
networks of researchers, experts, decision-makers and
opinion-makers, both in Sweden and abroad. Its activities
take place in consultation with a number of stakeholders,
such as Sweden’s representation in Brussels, the European
Commission, the European Parliament, the European
Dairy Association (eda), the International Dairy Federation
(idf), the Swedish Food Federation (Li), the Swedish
National Food Administration, the Swedish Agri cultural
Board and the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the
Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Commu nica tions and
many, many others.
Nordic dairy-related cooperation is steadily increasing.
The aim is not only to avoid duplication and obtain more
knowledge for the money invested, but also to put the
Nordic region on the eu map – to become a stronger player
in other words.
Defi ning the issues in the process as early as possible is
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essential to our ability to keep up in an industry in constant
change. Changing consumer patterns are tackled
through communications aimed at specifi c target groups
and seminars on the benefi ts of milk for people of all ages.
The latest research fi ndings concerning diet and nutrition
are presented regularly to professional groups that have
an impact on eating and drinking habits.
To support the skilled dairy entrepreneurs of the future,
the Swedish Dairy Association is reviewing the need for
modern it solutions and the need for the industry as a
whole to take responsibility for ensuring that its systems
are cost-e� ective. On behalf of the livestock associations,
the Swedish Dairy Association develops advisory concepts
and training programs to promote and support dairy-related
entrepreneurship. Larger herds at dairy farms are leading
to new projects concerning preventive animal healthcare
and related areas.
FOR THE DAIRY COOPERATIVES, the Swedish Dairy
Asso ciation is a key player in competition-neutral issues.
There is a consensus that an industry organisation can be
much more e� ective in infl uencing politicians than individual
companies alone. The organisation has experts who
can monitor, analyze and obstruct unfavourable proposals.
They can also promote issues relating to sustainable and
profi table Swedish dairy production.
The combined e� orts of the organisation are aimed at
making consumers aware of the added value of Swedish
milk. There should ultimately be no doubt that Sweden is
a natural and fi rst-rate dairy country – perhaps the best in
the world.

Read more
about the Swedish Dairy Association
at www.svenskmjolk.se
31

Visiting address: Vattugatan 17, Postal address: P.O. Box 210, SE-101 24 Stockholm www.svenskmjolk.se
Text: Amelie E Cardell Production manager: Anita Häll Lindström /Ord & Handling Design & layout: Kajsen Burell / X4
Cover photo: Jann Lipka and U� e Andersson Photo: Magnus Fond, Joel Wåreus, Tomas Södergren, Helen Rubnell Engström, Agneta Thorsén,
Abrakadabra, Per Mannberg, Jann Lipka, Jan Petersson, Christina Bengtsson, Susanne Kronholm, Lars Ardarve, U� e Andersson and Jens Olof Lasthein.
Illustrations: Annika Huett Print & repro: Rolf tryckeri, Skövde 2007