The Swedish agricultural sector is currently experiencing substantial structural changes, where the number of agricultural enterprises continuously decreases and the average farm size increases. In order to maintain competitiveness, it is important to be aware and adapt to changes concerning the surroundings of the company (Johnson et al., 2011). Agricultural commodity prices sharply fluctuate on the global market in recent years, affecting the profitability of farmers. High volatility market requires tools to reduce price variations and increases the need of decision-making (Bouder & Beth, 2003). Farm-based grain handling facilities increases the sale options regarding agricultural commodities; a flexible strategy to get additional compensation for the storing the grain produced on the farm (Edling, 2002; Edwards, 2013).

The effects from a planned wind farm on the grid utility Gävle Energis electrical grid have been studied. The wind farm is planned to be built in the forest 15 km north of Gävle and will have 23 turbines with rated power from 2 to 2.5 MW, resulting in a total installed power between 46 MW and 57.5 MW. The grid connection will be made at 70 kV. The aim of the analysis was to determine what effects the wind farm would have on the power grid in the form of electrical disturbances (flicker etc.), need for new investment and raised operational cost. To allow the connection of the wind farm technical solutions (new lines, power stations and grid reinforcements) have been constructed.

In this dissertation I have tried to figure out if it possible to make any money on acid grain to feed cows through a case study. The method is a case study combined with a documentary research. At present the farm sell all grain in connection with harvest and buy it back continuously in the neighbourhood, I have compared that with an alternative where I invest in a construction for to store acid grain on the current farm. I have delimit me to only have a look on acid grain because I think that is one of the cheapest way too store grain in smaller aplenty. Before beginning with acid grain is it important to be versed in how everything works and the risk to keep on with acid grain. One disadvantage is that the acid grain is not possible to store more than 12 months with out acid it once again. It is also easy to get mould in the pasture if it is not acid enough.

When planning new wind farms, the cost for the internal electrical grid is estimated to account for 8-9 % of the total investment cost. On top of that, the cost for accumulated reduced income over several years (due to electrical losses), has to be added. The economic lifespan is relatively long (about 20 years) which means that an error in the loss calculation could lead to a bad decision basis. The accumulated reduced incomes due to electrical losses can be higher than the initial investment cost for the internal electrical grid.Today, Statkraft Sweden is using a template number when estimating the electrical losses in a wind farm. The actual losses are probably lower than the template number which could lead to an unnecessary high loss cost when planning a new wind farm.The aim of this M.Sc.

Uppsats för avläggande av filosofie kandidatexamen iKulturvård, Trädgårdens hantverk och design, 21 hp, 2012.

The purpose of these theses is to show the financial economical situation during the change from conventional dairy production to ecological production. The thesis is accomplished by collecting information from literature and interviews where needed. The target group of these theses is dairy producers who will transform their production from conventional dairy production to certified ecological dairy production. The theses emphasise on the economic situation during the adjustment years. For this I have studied a presently producing dairy farm.

This examination work brings up opportunities to invest in a construction for heating with grain or pellets on farm level. As example we have chosen Fröberga Gård which is a farm located in Östergötland outside of Söderköping. The farm`s residential buildings is to day heated with oil and electricity. The result of our investigation shows that heating with grain is the best alternative, partly because of economical issues but also because you can grow the grain on your own farm and by that you can get better economy in your seed cultivation. To grow 16 tonne of grain as is needed demand gives a insignificant increase of work. Further an advantage is that no investment in machines is needed because all the machines witch is needed already is in use on the farm. In a situation where a new investment is needed as in the case we studied, is it often profitable to invest in a integrated furnace. Because all the components are well adapted to each other, and because that gives a high efficiency. If you already own a well working furnace is it often most profitable to connect a burner to it. It is important to know that heating with grain need more work than heating with pellets, because the high contents of ash in grain. Even if you choose pellets instead of grain the calculation shows good results. Because peat is an excellent but fairly untested raw material for pelletsproduction we have chosen to watch little more on its quality and conductions. We discovered that peat has a high heating value which makes it possible to raise the heat value in pellets through mix up peat and wood. Or you can make pellets with only peat and get a pellet with high heating value. Even the calculation with peatheating shows good results..

This is a study made because I would like to see how much money can be saved when reduced soil preparations is used. This is a case study, the farm is located in the north vest part of Skåne, Sweden. I have calculated with four different soilpreparation methods. Alternative 1: Conventional soil preparation, the way the farm is managed today. Alternative 2: Ploughing on depth of 12 centimeters, with a ridge packer followed with sowing. Alternative 3: Eco-tillage Alternative 4: Direct drilling The results of my study showes that Alternative 2 is the most profitable. Alternative 4 is very good if you see to dieselexpenses and hours of work, but the yield is far to low. If the numbers are further analized, it showes that in spring barley the differense between Alternative 2 and Alternative 4 is at a minimum. So if there is lack of time for one reason or another, this might be an alternative in spring barley. The differense in how the farm is managed today and the most profitable alternative in the study, Alternative 2 showes that it can be saved up to 60 940 SEK..

The aim with this study was to collect fundamental information, and to plan, a windpower farm in Juddhult , Småland in southern Sweden. The goal is to collect the bestavailable projecting planning support. The pieces of this projecting planning supportthat will be presented is; Environmental Consequence Description (MKB), productioncalculations, comparisons between different plant types, economic calculations, evaluatethe economy and give some farm design suggestions. The imagined wind farm will belocated in forest environment and which may cause a number of new problems. Specialinterest that will be affected, where special consideration because of the forestenvironmental is requested is, hunting, wetlands, ancient monuments and windturbulence.

Our aim with this study is to investigate whether or not Utbildningsradions - which is a public broadcasting agency - educational programmes reproduce the existing gender patterns of the female and male genders. We have chosen to analyse two educational programmes, Home Farm Twins and Rena rama forntiden.We use a social constructionist theory regarding the construction and reproduction of gender and the method we have chosen to use is a qualitative content analysis to study the educational programmes.Our conclusion is that in the case of Home Farm Twins, it reproduces the current stereotypes that exist in society. Rena rama forntiden on the other hand does not, the program has got a clear gender perspective in regards to its content. Though it can be said that in some ways it does not reflect upon the gender patterns that exist in society today, to a satisfactionary extent.Utbildningsradion does not achieve its policy concerning Home Farm Twins, but on the other hand it shows that in the case of Rena rama forntiden they do own up to the standards regarding cultural diversity and creative aim..

The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is a common problem in poultry facilities, causing great discomfort for the hens and effecting the production economically. Few efficient acaricides are available and there is a need for new control methods since resistance has become a problem in some cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of the new liquid silica control agent Ectopar, on the poultry red mite. An initial in vitro test of Ectopar and its two components individually was performed, where live mites were sealed in together with filter paper impregnated with one of the three solutions prepared. The survival of the mites was thereafter recorded repeatedly during a period of 120 hours and compared to a control. For the field study, two poultry farms with different housing systems were used, one with furnished cages (farm 1) and one with a single tier floor system (farm 2).

The cocoa produced in Fiji is exported to industrialized countries for processing of the raw material. The Swedish organization Cocoa Bello is involved in a project to provide the Fijian cocoa farmers with knowledge as well as resources to enable local processing and to attain added value of the cocoa crop. The purpose of this study is to discover a field of application for the Fijian cocoa among the rural population, using an ethnographic design. We spent one week in Namau Settlement, Fiji, where we applied in-depth interviews and participant obser-vations in six families. We found a number of aspects affecting food choices, such as social, economical and cultural beliefs.

In Sweden there is a large interest in renewable energy but the market for solar power is still small compared to other countries such as Germany. Here many farmers produce their own electricity. The Federation of Swedish farmers have acknowledged the potential for Swedish farmer to produce electricity and there is an interest among the farmers. The agricultural branches in Sweden most suitable for solar power are pig production and poultry due to the even electricity need throughout a year. Swedish pig farmers are going through a period of unsteady profitability which makes it interesting to see whether producing their own electricity can affect the economic situation.

The quantity of methane emissions from sheep depend on several factors, for example, the composition of the diet, feed quality, the age of the animals, time of the day and maybe also breed and sex. A comprising literature review was made about which factors that affect the size of emissions. In addition, a questionnaire was sent to two farms, one with a more intensive production system and another with a more extensive system. Inventories of the two farms were made; the rest of the data needed to conduct the study was taken from literature and other sources. Meat produced at the more intensive farm caused emissions of 0.4 kg of methane per kg of bone free meat and the more extensive farm caused emissions of 0.9 kg methane per kg of bone free meat.

A study was made to evaluate how current measurementscould help to determine how particles from fish farms are dispersed. During sixweeks of the summer 2012, two different current measurements were conducted.One of them consisted of measurements each fifth minute at 5 m and 15 m atthree locations for 14-16 days each. The other consisted of profilemeasurements at each location at four times during the period of six weeks. Forthe current measurements two instruments (model RCM 9) were used. A two weekmeasurement can give enough data to make an evaluation of how the currents at alocation will transport litter from a fish farm.