Svenska mjölkbönder, snart ett minne blott? - Markbygdens mjölkbönder i tankar om mjölkproduktionens nuvarande situation och framtidsutsikter
Major changes within the agricultural politics today have forced the dairy production to scaleup, in order to compete on a global market. This has resulted in a reduction in the number ofsmaller dairy farms in Sweden, from about 40000 to just over 4000 over the last 30 years. Thepurpose of this study Svenska mjölkbönder, snart ett minne blott? ? Markbygdensmjölkbönder i tankar om mjölkproduktionens nuvarande situation och framtidsutsikter, is topresent the opinions of dairy farmers in Sweden, regarding the Swedish dairy industry and therelation to their own dairy production. A secondary purpose is to problematize how theconsequences of pastures and cultural landscapes influences human society as dairy farms andgrazing animals are becoming fewer. The main study which makes up the results is comprisedof qualitative interviews with four dairy farmers based in the municipality of Mark. Themethodology also includes a literature review of the historical and current situation within theSwedish dairy production, as well as the status of the farmland in relation to the changeswithin the Swedish dairy industry.The results shows that several underlying national and international factors affect the dairyfarmers in the study. Fluctuating dairy prices, increased costs of the dairy production, harshenvironmental and animal protection policies, a huge amount of administration, and a fallingpolitical interest in the countryside and food production, are some of the aspects that thefarmers in the study feel contribute to an unprofitable production. One of the farmers standsout in the way that his experience of the situation is positive and profitable by making prudentinvestments and cut down on unnecessary expenses, where he feels the problem lies withinthe lack of economical knowledge in adjusting to a global market.Statistics shows that pasture on the countryside have undergone massive decreases in size,which does not completely agree with the observations made by the interviewed farmersthemselves.The discussion relate to general reflections over the farmers? opinions, as well as thedecreasing value in food production, or increasing interest in the origin of the food, withconnections to the outstanding payment of the Swedish surplus value, as an example.