In an analysis of food system sustainability challenges and solutions among Swedish food system actors using Q-methodology, five perspectives were identified. One of the main three perspectives placed the highest priority on reduced meat consumption, food waste, and climate impact in agriculture, but downplayed strategies highlighted in the national food strategy and social aspects, and can be interpreted as a diagnostic climate mitigation-oriented perspective that does not reflect current negotiated policy processes or ‘softer’ values of food. In an alternative regenerative perspective, industrialized large-scale farming and lack of internalization of external costs were regarded as the main problems, and diversity, soil health, and organic farming as the main solutions. Proponents of a third perspective regarded phasing out fossil fuels, increased profitability of companies, increased meat production, and self-sufficiency as high priorities. These contrasting views can be a major barrier to transforming the Swedish food system. However, a number of entry points for change (i.e. aspects highly important for some and neutral for others) were identified, including focusing on healthy diets and increased production of fruit and vegetables. Focusing on these can build trust among stakeholders before moving to discussions about the larger and more sensitive systemic changes needed. © 2022 The Authors

Few fertilizers are permitted for organic farming, which is a challenge when securing nutrient availability, particularly of nitrogen (N). Digestate from biogas production could be a valuable fertilizer for increasing crop yields, through its high content of plant-available nitrogen (NH4-N), but is rarely used in practice. This study evaluated how anaerobic digestion of manure and use of digestate affected inflows and outflows of nutrients and potentially toxic elements on four organic farms with different solutions for digestate production. Mass flows and element concentrations were documented 3 years on three dairy farms and one crop farm and used for calculating farm budgets. Nitrogen and phosphorus (P) budgets were also calculated for biogas reactor and storage pits on three farms. Nitrogen surplus exhibited large variation (18–87 kg N ha−1 year−1) at farm level, with purchased digestate or poultry manure giving major N inputs. The risk of process losses was high, with up to 40% of N and P in feedstock entering farm biogas reactors not recovered in digestate. The proportion of NH4-N in total N in digestate was slightly higher (2–9%) or lower (37%) than in feedstocks entering farm biogas reactors. Improved stirring in farm biogas reactors and storage pits to decrease N and P sedimentation, particularly when digesting poultry manure, would directly increase digestate value. Two farms purchasing digestate from central biogas plants received a digestate causing significant cadmium inputs. Keeping records on element flows can help to tailor the use of digestate for organic farms to achieve a sustainable use of nutrients.

The potential of modified spring barley crops with improved nitrogen (N) use efficiency to reduce nitrogen (N) leaching and to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) storage was assessed at the regional scale. This was done using simulation model applications designed for reporting according to the Helcom (Helsinki Commission) and Kyoto protocols. Using model simulations based on modified crops N dynamics and SOC were assessed for three agro-ecological regions (latitudes ranging 55°20′–60°40′ N) in Sweden over a 20-year period. The modified N use properties of spring barley were implemented in the SOILNDB model (simulating soil C, N, water and heat, and plant N dynamics) by changing the parameters for root N uptake efficiency and plant N demand within a range given by previous model applications to different crops. A doubling of the daily N uptake efficiency and increased N demand (by ca 30%) reduced N leaching by 24%–31%, increased plant N content by 9%–12%, depending on region. The effects of the modified crop on SOC was simulated with the ICBM model, resulting in an increased SOC content (0–25 cm depth) by 57–79 kg C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. The results suggest that a modified crop might reduce N leaching from spring barley area, in a range similar to the targets of relevant environmental protection directives, a result which held more in the northern than southern regions. The simulated SOC increase on a hectare basis was highest for the central region and least for the most northern region. For the total agricultural area the share of spring barley area was small and more crops would need to be modified to reach the emission reduction targets.

This article addresses the challenges for the EU Rural Development Program (RDP) to promote sustainable bioenergy production from agriculture. Drawing on the Swedish example, we identify opportunities for farmers and discuss agricultural-based bioenergy production in relation to the program objectives for agricultural competitiveness, sustainability and climate effects, and rural development. The sustainability and climate effects of agricultural-based bioenergy can be ascertained only through contextual analysis, and research indicates that rural development may be best promoted through local collaborative energy systems. Contrasting two ideal-type roles farmers may assume in bioenergy production, we discuss Swedish institutional contexts of energy production. In Sweden, the national energy policy tends to favor large-scale energy solutions and farmers taking on the roles as suppliers of primary products in large-scale energy systems. For RDP objectives to be realized, this tendency needs to be countered, local solutions need to be supported, and a national three-tiered energy policy integration needs to be furthered.

Plant breeding is a powerful tool for improving nitrogen (N) uptake efficiency and thus reducing the environmental impact relating to crop production. This study evaluated the environmental impact of current barley production systems in two Swedish agricultural areas (South and East) compared with scenarios with improved N uptake efficiency at two levels, in which the fraction of mineral N available for daily crop uptake was increased by 50 and 100%. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was used to quantify energy use, global warming potential (GWP) and acidification and eutrophication potentials along the production chain for spring barley with differing N uptake efficiency, but similar N application rate. The functional unit, to which all energy use and emissions were related, was 1 Mg barley grain. Energy use, GWP and acidification proved to be higher for the East production system, mainly due to lower yield, while eutrophication was higher for South. The two impacts most affected by improved N uptake efficiency were eutrophication and GWP, with GWP decreasing due to a combination of higher yield, soil carbon sequestration and lower indirect emissions of N₂O due to lower N leaching. Accounting for land savings due to increased yield, reducing the pressure to transform land elsewhere, would further lower the carbon footprint. Potential eutrophication per Mg grain was reduced by 15% in the production system with the highest N uptake efficiency in southern Sweden. Crops with improved N uptake efficiency can thus be an important complementary measure for reducing N losses to water, provided that the N application rate does not increase. However, incentives for farmers to maintain or even lower the N application rate might be required. Using simulation modelling is a promising approach for assessment of expected effects of improved crop varieties when no long-term experimental data are available. However, advanced crop models are required to better reflect the effect of plant breeding on e.g. expected yield. Future model development should involve expertise in plant breeding, plant physiology and dynamic crop and soil modelling.

Researchers have put forward agricultural biotechnology as one possible tool for increasing food production and making agriculture more sustainable. In this paper, it is investigated how key actors in the Swedish food supply chain perceive the concept of agricultural sustainability and the role of biotechnology in creating more sustainable agricultural production systems. Based on policy documents and semi-structured interviews with representatives of five organizations active in producing, processing and retailing food in Sweden, an attempt is made to answer the following three questions: How do key actors in the Swedish food supply chain define and operationalize the concept of agricultural sustainability? Who/what influences these organizations' sustainability policies and their respective positions on agricultural biotechnology? What are the organizations' views and perceptions of biotechnology and its possible role in creating agricultural sustainability? Based on collected data, it is concluded that, although there is a shared view of the core constituents of agricultural sustainability among the organizations, there is less explicit consensus on how the concept should be put into practice or what role biotechnology can play in furthering agricultural sustainability. 

Recycling of plant nutrients in sewage products to arable land is considered to be a step towards a more sustainable society. Sewage sludge is the predominant sewage fertiliser product available today, but the use of sewage sludge in agriculture has been questioned as regards hazardous substances. In this respect, blackwater from separating systems seems to better fulfil agricultural requirements regarding fertiliser products. The objective of this paper was to analyse the environmental impact and resource use in a life cycle perspective for three systems, each including both wastewater handling and agricultural production. In the reference system, food waste disposers were installed in houses. Milled food waste and wastewater were treated in a wastewater treatment plant and the sewage sludge was used for producing a soil conditioner. In the sludge utilisation system, food waste from households was composted, wastewater was treated conventionally and sewage sludge was used in oat production. In the blackwater system, toilet water from low-flush toilets and milled organic waste were digested together and spread in growing oats. Data on the wastewater system were derived from simulations by the substance-flow model URWARE/ORWARE. The blackwater system required slightly more primary energy than the other two systems. In particular, construction of storage facilities contributed considerably to energy use. The emissions of greenhouse gases and SO2 were of the same magnitude for all three systems, while the eutrophying emissions were reduced significantly in the blackwater system. As regards NH3 and NOX, the emissions were highest for the blackwater system. High substitution of mineral fertiliser, optimal spreading technique and well-designed collection and storage facilities were important factors for the environmental outcome in the blackwater system. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.