Agricultural policies in Norway and effects on soil erosion

Norwegian agriculture depends heavily on governmental subsidies, due to small farming units and high costs. Due to a limited home market, many agricultural productions are also quantum regulated. Milk and grain production was regulated starting in the 1950 using region specific prices. At the level...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & policy 2003-02, Vol.6 (1), p.57-67
Main Authors: Lundekvam, Helge E., Romstad, Eirik, Øygarden, Lillian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural policy
Land levelling
Norway
Soil erosion
Subsidies
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Summary:Norwegian agriculture depends heavily on governmental subsidies, due to small farming units and high costs. Due to a limited home market, many agricultural productions are also quantum regulated. Milk and grain production was regulated starting in the 1950 using region specific prices. At the level of three counties in south–eastern Norway, this policy resulted in an increase in the grain producing area from 30 to 80% of total agricultural area causing a similar reduction in grassland area over a 30 year period. The change in land use caused by this policy more than doubled the estimated soil losses by water erosion. During the late seventies extensive land levelling in the same region stimulated by subsidies lead to an estimated two–three fold increase in soil erosion. The increase was especially high when former ravine landscapes used for pasture were levelled and turned into arable land that was ploughed in autumn. Very visible erosion and increasing negative offsite effects on water quality together with overproduction put an end to the subsidies for land levelling. Erosion research was started around 1980 and the results from this research lead to the introduction of several kinds of payments in the early 1990 to encourage more sustainable agricultural production. Since the policy changed there has been changes in cultivating systems and a reduction in soil erosion has been estimated. Thus, farmers’ behaviour and soil erosion in Norway is strongly influenced by agricultural and environmental policy.
ISSN:1462-9011
1873-6416
DOI:10.1016/S1462-9011(02)00118-1