Organic Farming – Structure, Production and Nature Management

Organic Farming – structure, production and nature management

“Nature Quality in Organic Farming” - is a research project connected to the Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming. The aim has been to develop new methods for characterising nature content on organic farms, to investigate how nature elements are managed on different farms, and to discuss development strategies and ways to communicate this knowledge to different stakeholders. This following is a presentation of the results that emerged from an extensive interview survey with 347 organic farmers from 2002-03. 1 Organic farming – structure, production and nature management

Editors Marie-Louise Risgaard, Vibeke Langer and Pia Frederiksen - thanks to Henrik Peter Ølgaard Lassen and Ann-Katrine Holme Christoffersen

Contact Pia Frederiksen, [email protected] Department of Policy Analysis National Environmental Research Institute, Roskilde

Vibeke Langer, [email protected] Department of Agricultural Sciences The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen

Photo Thomas Tolstrup, Knud Tybirk and Louise Lindegaard Weinreich

The Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming (DARCOF) was established in 1995 as a so-called "centre without walls" where the actual research is performed in interdisciplinary collaboration between the participating research groups.

The remit of DARCOF is to coordinate research for organic farming, with a view to achieving optimum benefit from the allocated resources. Its aim is to elucidate the ideas and problems faced in organic farming through the promotion of high quality research of international standard. Further information is available online at www.darcof.dk

2 Contents

Background for the investigation, p. 4 Description of farmers and farms, p. 5 Crop composition, p. 7 Permanent grasslands, p. 8 Landscape elements, p. 8 Diversification of income strategies, p. 9 Future strategies, p. 11 What is important for nature management in the future?, p. 12 Many more questions…, p. 12

3 Organic farming and nature Contents management The focus here is on an interview In Denmark, agricultural pro- survey that was conducted in order to duction and area use play an be able to describe organic farming important role for the management practises and nature management on of our common nature and farm level in different parts of landscapes. For many years organic Denmark. In connection with the farming has had as its’ objective to interviews we promised to report promote nature values in relation to back to the participating farmers. the organic production. Within the Thus, the focus of the following is on framework of the current regu- the results from the interview survey, lations and subsidies the farmer is which provide a snapshot of reality as the primary decision maker when it it appeared for farmers and organic comes to arable land. Hence, the farming in 2001. farmer’s attitudes, knowledge and prioritising of nature have decisive -with many thanks! importance for the type of nature The present description is aimed at management applied on the single the farmers who participated in the farm. All of these considerations interview survey and without whose form the background for the help and good will this project would project “Nature Quality in Organic not have been realized. Farming”.

4 Which study areas? Who participated? Organic farms are scattered over A total of 347 organic farmers most of the country, although with participated in the survey. This equals some regional concentration in approx. 10% of all organic farmers in South West Jutland and the Denmark in 2001. In all, 75% of the metropolitan area. At the same organic farmers in the chosen time there are relatively large areas parishes participated. with out organic farms, e.g. more than one third of all parishes in Farm types and specialisation Denmark are void of organic The distribution of the participating farms. farms resembled the national distribution. Arable farmers domi- Number of organic farms per 100 km2, nated in numbers whereas dairy farms densities in 2001 dominated area wise.

Share of farms Small Dairy 17% 25%

Mix ed 17% Crops 41% The survey was conducted in 2002-03 in 11 study areas in Share of area Denmark: Løgumkloster, Varde, Herning, Skive, Thy, Hjallerup and Small Randers in Jutland and Holbæk, 3% Haslev, Slangerup and Græsted- Crops Gilleleje on Sealand (see also map 29% on p. 15). All areas had densities of organic farms above the Dairy 52% national average (8.1 organic farms per 100 km2 in 2001) and repre- sented a wide range of landscapes, Mixed farms and farmer types. 16%

5 The degree of specialisation specialisation, some areas were not followed the expected pattern with a dominated by one specific farm dominance of livestock farms in type. For instance, there was no Jutland and arable farms on the regional concentration of farms with islands. In spite of this regional pigs, poultry or cattle.

Area and average farm size Farm types 3000 81.5 100% 2500 60.1 56.3 54.9 80% 2000 63.5 52.8 60% 1500 40.3 27.4 ectares 40% ectares 1000 30.2 H H 22.4 14.9 20% 500 0% 0 e g e y p v p m n v u rs k e u d m e g e p s p d u d i i r e æ l te in iv hy u lev u g ar rn Th e b s er s rd n T r er æk s r te V Sk ll nd l g gu a r lle b s Lø a a Ha n ræ V Sk nd ol ge æ He R Ho a Lø He ja Ha r Hj G H Ra H lan G Sl S Crops Dairy Mixed MeMeatat PPiigs//ppouloultry Sheep/horses

The organic farmers highest among part-time and hobby More than one third of the organic farmers. There was a tendency that a farmers characterised themselves larger share of farmers from the as full-time farmers (primarily western part of Denmark had a dairy producers), whereas the farming background than farmers remaining approx. two-thirds saw from the eastern part of Denmark. themselves as part-time and hobby Also the share of farmers having an farmers, respectively (primarily agricultural college degree was highest mixed and arable farms). Only 5% in West Denmark. of the farms were run full-time by both the farmer and his/her -years of conventional farming spouse. In 2001, two thirds of the farmers had farmed organically for less than five -background years and 40% of these had been A total of 75% of the farmers farming conventionally for more than grew up in the countryside and ten years prior to converting to 61% of these on a farm. One organic farming. However, the longer fourth of the participating farmers farmers had been farming organically ran their own or spouse’s family the smaller the possibility that they farm. The remaining 25% of the had a conventional background. farmers came from urban areas Approx. 20% of the farmers took up and the share of city people was farming as organic farmers.

6 -cooperation among farmers the farmers were involved in several A total of 63% of the farmers were types of cooperation. engaged in some kind of cooperation with other farmers, -participation in discussion groups most frequently informal agree- Thirty-eight percent of the organic ments on exchange of fodder and farmers in the survey participated in manure along with sharing discussion groups. Two thirds machinery. More than one third of hereof were full-time farmers.

Farmer types Share of cooperating farms 10 0% 100% 80% 80% 60% 60% 40% 40% 20% 20% 0% 0%

m e e y p s k d e e y p s k d u rd ing iv ru lev rup e m d ing v u lev e n Th e bæ s r i Th r æ s rup øg r Sk ll nder l gu rn lle lb L Va e a a o Ha æst Va Sk nder ge æst H H ange r Lø He a a Ha r Hj R l G Hj R Ho lan G S S Full-time Part-time Hobby Other

Crop composition On more than one third of the farms, the cultivated areas amounted to 85% of the total area. Clover grass and cereals were the dominating crops followed by cereals (silage). The shares of maize and pulses were small, only 2%, in 2001, but their areas have increased with 35-40% during the period 2001 to 2004, measured on all organic farms.

7 Permanent grasslands Landscape elements Permanent grasslands, i.e., “Landscape element” is a term that grasslands that had not been covers hedgerows, dikes, ponds, ploughed for at least five years, woodlots and plantings of less than were found on two thirds of the one hectare, and grave mounds. farms. On average, these fields There were large variations in made out 15% of the total area. presence and density of landscape Permanent grasslands were more elements among farms as well as commonly found on mixed farms areas. and dairy farms than on smaller or arable farms. Types of landscape elements A total of 89% of the farms had hedgerows and the average lengths of these were 2,221 metres per farm – or 58 m per ha. On average there were 1.4 ponds per farm, but that covers farms without and farms with several ponds. Plantings made out 188 m2 per ha on average. In all, the landscape elements covered an average of 3.8% of total farm area, with variations from 0% to 34%. -and their use Half of the grasslands had not been ploughed for more than 40 years and had also been continuously grazed. Almost all of these old grasslands were low input areas, i.e., the fields had not been manured and grazing animals had not been fed additional feedstuffs. These low input grasslands are important for nature content. Only a few percent of the Localisation of landscape elements grasslands were manured and this The presence of landscape elements mainly took place on the younger followed different patterns: smaller grasslands. farms which are often part-time or hobby farms generally had a higher density of all types of elements. But

8 also natural conditions such as hedgerows based on production undulation and soil type were of oriented rationales. The majority of importance. Very few of the farms the remaining landscape elements did not have any landscape were rather old. elements at all. Diversified income activities Establishing and clearing Structural development, specia- From 1997 to 2001 more land- lisation and enlargement of fields are scape elements were established all part of reality – also for organic than cleared by the organic farmers. Among the organic farmers farmers. Planting of hedgerows who converted in 1997, approx. half predominantly took place on large of them expanded their farming area dairy farms situated in the flat, and about one third stayed windy western parts of Denmark. unchanged. It was primarily the large But hedgerows were also establish- farms that expanded. At the same ed in quite a few areas on Sealand. time many of the organic farmers Ponds and woodlots on the other supplemented their income either hand, were predominantly through off-farm work or other established on mixed and arable farm-based activities – or both. farms in the hilly moraine formations of Eastern Denmark. Off-farm work The dairy farms had the highest About half of the farmers’ income share of both old and new came from off-farm work while only landscape elements, due to the 27% of the farms were run by a frequent clearing and replanting of farmer with no off-farm income.

9 Only 13% of the spouses did not -large farms have many activities have an off-farm job, while Farms with two people working full- approx. half of the spouses had time had the largest share of other full time jobs and one fifth had farm-based activities. These were part time jobs. The spouses did predominantly land and production not spend much time on farm related, e.g. incomes from renting activities and the time spend out hunting rights, direct sales or mainly went to keeping the processing of farm produce. accounts.

Other farm-based activities (OFA) -differences between the East and West 100% It was primarily on farms in Other 80% Occupation Eastern Denmark that both farmer Land and spouse had off-farm work, 60% whereas mainly the spouse had 40% Production 20% off-farm work on farms in West No OFA Denmark. 0% Double Hobby Part-time Full-time full-time Other farm-based activities Half of the organic farmers were engaged in other farm-based -farmer types and activities activities on their farms. Hereof The hobby farmers did not depend 40% stated that these activities on farm income as both spouses were of some or large economic usually had off-farm work. Hence, importance. The activities were they were also the ones with the related to production, land and fewest other farm-based activities. occupation or other. The part-time farmers also had off- farm work but 60% had other farm T ype of activity Pct of activities based activities as well. More than Farm shop 8 Processin g 8 half of the part-time farmers stated M achine pool 6 that the activities were of some or Direct sales 15 T otal production related 37 large economic importance to them. Fa rm tourism 6 Renting out of hunting rights 14 Ri ding facilities 1 -hunting activities T otal land related 21 Only 14% of all the farmers rented Trade 5 Day care 6 out hunting rights on their farms. O ccupation/practice 3 On a little less than half of the Total related to occupation 14 Sal es of renewable resources 5 farms, hunting was carried out by Let ting out of buildings 14 the farmers themselves along with Other 10 Total other 29 10 friends and family. Hunting was the 62% who wished to reduce their not carried out at all on approx. land also wanted to reduce livestock one third of all farms. Here the numbers. One fifth of the farmers area of Løgumkloster stands out as exclusively wanted to increase it contains this investigations’ livestock and another fifth only largest share of full time-farmers wanted an area enlargement. (43%) and at the same time it is the area with the lowest share of Part time farmers – in or out of organics? farms with out hunting, namely A recurrent discussion concerns 69%. whether part-time farmers are leaving the farming business or not. Future strategies This does not appear to be the case A total of 13% of the organic for the organic part-time farmers, farmers expressed that they were who were primarily engaged in considering reversion to con- mixed and arable farming. Even ventional farming with in a five- though most of them get their main year period. In all, 10% wished to income from off-farm jobs, less than cease farming in general and 10% 10% of the part-time farmers stated wanted to increase their off-farm that they considered cessation of work. The main part (66%) of farming or reversion to conventional those who considered expansion production. This level corresponds of land also wanted to increase to replies from the other farm types. livestock numbers. Similarly,

Hunting Plans for future changes 250 s s er 10 0% er 200 m m r r a 80% a 150 f f f 60% f o o 100 er 40% er b b m m 50 u 20% u N 0% 0 Area Livestock m e g e y p k v p d n iv h u rs le e rd ni k T r e æ s ru t gu a r lle d lb e s V e S n o g No change Increase Reduce Lø H ja Ha n ræ H Ra H la G S No hunting Private Rented out

11 What is important in the future? conserve habitats for plants and The results show large variations animals in the arable land. in organic farmers’ nature management. It is positive that so many permanent grasslands are run as low input fields. An average density of landscape elements between 2 and 5.5%, depending on farm size, underlines that on some farms there is a still existing need for conservation and esta- blishment of landscape elements. Old landscape elements may have a potential nature value and these elements are predominantly found on larger farms and full time farms. These farms are often involved in structural develop- ments where fields are enlarged, which make it particularly important to add focus on the value of old landscape elements.

Many new questions… The results from the survey have opened up for a series of new questions that could not be answered within the framework of this investigation. In addition other project groups were working with other aspects of nature quality on the organic farms. The following is an introduction to some of these Furthermore, it is important to aspects and for those who are acknowledge that also within further interested, references to organic farming structural literature are provided. See also page development and increases in farm 15. size appears to continue, and that in this process it is important to

12 Nature content outside the parties may contain conflicts but arable land – does organics also opportunities. See DARCOF e- matter? news December 2004, no. 4 for in- Are there higher numbers of plant depth info. species in organic hedgerows? Yes, apparently! Investigations in 56 younger organic and conventional hedgerows on dairy farms in Jutland and Sealand showed that there were definitely more plant species in young as well as older organic hedgerows. Irrespective of farming practice it was however mostly common plant species that were found in the hedgerows. Read more about it online: Why are there many organic www.orgprints.org/view/ farmers in one area – and few in projects/da2c5.html another? Does regional support or proximity to urban markets play a part in how many farmers chose to convert to organic farming in a local area? Is it important that the area already holds organic farmers, that extension agents are positive towards organic farming, or that it is possible to become engaged in co-operations with other organic farmers? Read more about the investigation among How do organic farmers ten organic farmers and four perceive “nature”? extension agents in Northwest Landscape, experiences, impres- Jutland in a coming issue of sions and atmosphere were some DARCOF e-news. of the most important aspects of nature mentioned by ten inter- Why do organic farmers revert to viewed organic farmers. Biologists conventional farming? look for diversity, continuity and Because of the economic situation rarity. Differences in views of being too tight – and often because nature values among different of difficult marketing conditions.

13 But according to seven organic in crop distribution and farming extension agents and nine organic practices there is an overall increase farmers, who had decided or in living conditions for skylarks, considered to revert to spiders and ground beetles. More conventional farming, many info on how computer models are factors influence the decision- used to “predict” advantages of making process. Frequent changes organic farming can be found in a in regulations, lack of expansion coming issue of DARCOF e-news. possibilities and frustration with having to see your produce sold What has the project shown? conventionally all pull towards Organic farmers may have more reversion – whereas having to start spiders, skylarks and more diverse using pesticides again pull in the hedges than conventional neigh- opposite direction. More info bours. But is that what is expected about how similar barriers are from organic farming in the eyes of experienced differently can be the farmers and the surrounding found in a coming issue of society? The project “Nature Quality DARCOF e-news. in Organic Farming” has analysed nature from different perspectives. Can “organic landscapes” There is not a single or a simple enhance living conditions for answer to the posed question; it all skylarks and insects? depends… Read more about the That is what results from different perceptions of nature and computer simulations of different future perspectives for organic levels of organic farming in a local farming in DARCOF e-news June area show. Depending on changes 2005, no. 2.

14 Map of study areas

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DARCOF research project III.5: Nature Quality in Organic Farming

Further literature is online at: http://www.darcof.dk/research/darcofii/iii5.html under “Publications” This site also provides project descriptions and a list of participants.

DARCOF e-news is online at: http://www.darcof.dk/publication/enewsarc.html