The Green Party presented a comprehensive package to strengthen Swedish food production – for more secure supplies, increased self-sufficiency and a vibrant agricultural landscape. The Green Party’s new proposals aim to increase profitability, reduce climate impact and strengthen the Swedish food chain from farm to fork. The proposals include financial support, tax changes and investments in social sustainability.
Today, Sweden’s food production is fragile. Agriculture in Sweden is heavily dependent on imports of fossil fuels, fossil-produced artificial fertilizers and a wide range of other goods and products needed in agricultural production. While fossil fuels cause large emissions, they also make us very vulnerable to disruptions caused by wars or crises in the world. When prices rise, it affects Swedish agriculture and Swedish farmers are put in an uncertain situation.
In a time of increasing crises, wars and climate change, Sweden’s food supply needs to become more robust. Therefore, the Green Party is today presenting a series of proposals to strengthen the resilience of Swedish agriculture, reduce fossil fuel dependence and increase self-sufficiency.
– Swedish agriculture is the hub of our civilian food security. Investing in agriculture means building our resilience, creating jobs and contributing to vibrant rural areas, says Amanda Lind, spokesperson for the Green Party.
A more resilient and sustainable agriculture
Today’s agriculture is heavily dependent on imported fossil diesel, artificial fertilizers and inputs from other countries. This makes Sweden vulnerable to disruptions in the outside world, while emissions from agricultural fossil fuel consumption contribute to the climate crisis.
– Making agriculture free from fossil fuels is absolutely crucial both for the climate and for Sweden’s security. But the government lacks a plan for the transition. It is not serious, says Amanda Lind, spokesperson for the Green Party.
The Green Party’s new proposals aim to increase profitability, reduce climate impact and strengthen the Swedish food chain – from farm to fork. The proposals include financial support, tax changes and investments in social sustainability.
The Green Party proposes:
Better conditions and profitability for agriculture
Half-cut employer contributions in the agricultural and food sector. We need to strengthen the entire Swedish food chain, from farm to fork, also via the entire wide diversity of producers; dairies, breweries, slaughterhouses, packers and other food producers. Many farmers are also completely dependent on the next step in the food chain – processors and producers – being nearby. Without them, the chain does not function. By halving the employer contribution, we make it more profitable and easier for all these producers to work together to create a strong, well-functioning food chain.
That farmers also get holidays. Farmers support Swedish food production but generally have very poor opportunities for holidays and recovery. This not only means a very tough working situation for farmers, but also makes our preparedness fragile, when primary producers in a socially important activity systematically do not get the recovery they need. A review of how the system of replacement work in agriculture can be expanded is needed to give farmers the opportunity for proper vacation, recovery, sick leave and childcare.
Strengthen the resilience of agriculture
Investment support for climate adaptation measures for agriculture and crisis support for farmers in the event of extreme weather, which can be activated in good time if necessary to provide farmers with security in the event of extreme rainfall or drought that damages production. Climate change threatens our harvests and Sweden’s ability to provide, and the need for climate adaptation measures is urgent.
Former spokesperson Märta Stenevi, next to current spokesperson Daniel Helldén. Photo: Christine Olsson/TT
Support the transition of agriculture
Abolish the fossil fuel subsidy and replace it with an agricultural deduction – a general tax reduction for all farmers. Farmers should be able to switch, and it should be profitable. That is not the case today. Today, fossil diesel is subsidized in agriculture, which means that farmers are kept in an uncertain situation with fluctuating prices, while those who choose renewable fuels themselves have to bear the additional cost. The Green Party wants it to be worthwhile – not punishing themselves – to opt out of fossil fuels.
Simplify the transition to renewables in the tank with a biopremium. It is not reasonable that farmers themselves should have to pay dearly out of their own pockets to contribute to the entire transition of agriculture away from fossil fuels. We want to compensate farmers for the price difference between fossil diesel and renewable fuels – by introducing a biopremium.
Strengthen agriculture’s own energy production with further investments in the climate step and increased tax reduction for solar power. With the climate step, farmers can apply for co-financing for investments in the production and use of biogas. The government is working against farmers who have or want to install solar cells by lowering and abolishing various tax reductions. On the contrary, the Green Party wants to maintain and expand tax reductions for solar power. Energy production is an increasingly important source of income for agriculture that can contribute to stronger profitability.
A fossil-free and viable agriculture
Today, almost all of Swedish agriculture is dependent on fossil diesel – sometimes imported from Russia. The government’s plan, which involves increased costs through the EU’s emissions trading system ETS2, lacks support for a real transition. The Green Party believes that the transition must be possible and profitable.
- We want to increase the pace of the transition, not slow it down. This requires both investments, fair incentives and better social conditions for those who support the entire food supply, says Amanda Lind.
The Green Party’s proposal is a concrete plan for a resilient and climate-smart agriculture that at the same time increases security for both farmers and consumers. With these reforms, the Green Party wants not only to increase our preparedness – but also to contribute to more jobs, more companies and a more vibrant countryside throughout the country.
