Focus on Phosphorus

Johan Malgeryd

Swedish Board of Agriculture

Focus on Phosphorus…

… is a pilot project within the advisory project Focus on Nutrients

… was started in 2006 in order to test measures against phos-phorus losses from farmland in practice

Aims:To develop an approach to decrease phosphorus losses from agriculture within a catchment area in the most efficient way

To practically test if the measures we know today could influence phosphorus losses from the arable land

Focus on Nutrients…

… is a national advisory project focused on reducing the environ-mental impact of Swedish agriculture… was started in 2001 in southern Sweden and has gradually expanded northwards … has more than 7 700 members… covers ca 23 % of the arable land in Sweden… supplies farmers with individual advice free of charge… has an annual budget of ca 35 MSEK during the period 2010-2013Aims:

To inspire and motivate farmers and advisors to use knowledge in order to decrease the environmental impact and increase the profitability of their farms.To help farmers contribute to reach the Swedish environmental objectives Zero eutrophication, Natural acidification only, A non-toxic environment and Reduced climate impact.

Focus on Nutrients – Geographic area and members

Focus on Phosphorus - Approach

within 3 delimited catchments (pilot areas) with well-known history when it comes to phosphorus losses test various methods to identify those fields or parts of fields where the risk for phos-phorus losses is biggest

in cooperation with the concerned farmers develop proposals on measures that could be inserted in order to decrease the losses.

try to get farmers to implement the measures that are applicable in practice. The measure work is backed up with advice and when necessary also with other instruments, e.g. economic compensation.

follow up the effects of the measures taken through measure-ments in runoff waters.

Focus on Phosphorus – Pilot areas

&

&

&U8

N33

E23

±0 50 10025 Kilometers

Produktionsområden

Götalands mellanbygder

Götalands norra slättbygder

Götalands skogsbygder

Götalands södra slättbygder

Svealands skogsbygder

Svealands slättbygder

Characteristics of the pilot areas

Area Main catchment Produc-tionarea1

Size, ha

Arable land, %

Pasture, %

Forest and other land2, %

Domin.soil type3

Measur-ingperiod4

U8 Norrström Ss 5255 62 - - Styv lera 1993-

E23 Söderköpingsån Gns 744 53 10 37 Styv lera 1988-95, 2002-

N33 Genevadsån Gss 650 93 - - Mellanlera 1991-

What have we done so far?

Selection of pilot areas

Contacts with farmers

Measurements and other data samplingCultivation inventory

Measurements of water flow and precipitation

Water sampling and water analyses

Collection of other data

Calculation of concentrations, transports and source distribution

Risk assessment

Counseling

Cooperation with other projects

How do we move forward?

Applied for and received funding for another three years of operation (2010-2012).

Totally 4 MSEK during three years (excl. the working hours of the project manager). Advisory service is funded via the regular budget of Focus on Nutrients.

Also measures against nitrogen losses in area N33 i Halland.

Cooperation with other projects in area E23.

Are currently taking up measures, including structural liming in area U8 and E23.

Some conclusions

1. The pilot areas chosen have functioned well.2. The farmers’ attitude has in most cases been experienced as positively

cautious.3. The communication with the farmers does not function in the same way

in all areas.4. Farmers experience the cultivation inventory as time-consuming paper

work.5. With manual (time scheduled) water sampling, there is a considerable

risk that one underestimates the phosphorus losses.6. The flow forecasts from SMHI have been of good help in order to co-

ordinate the synoptic water sampling with flow peaks in area E23.7. The individual advice given within Focus on Nutrients has, in most

cases, been experienced as positive.8. The farmers have implemented measures that are directly profitable,

e.g. reduced purchase of mineral fertilizers.9. Structural liming is a measure we currently have high hopes of.10. For certain bigger measures (e.g. establishment of wetlands) there are

many legal, economic and hydro-technical aspects that need to be investigated before the measures can be implemented in practice