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Agricultural production and nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea are likely to increase following Poland's and the Baltic States' entrance into the EU. According to HELCOM these trends will be highly dependent on the agricultural policies of the EU. The expansion of the EU can be seen as a window of opportunity where agricultural policy could improve the Baltic Sea environment. Longstanding initiatives with local organic food systems and Ecological Recycling Agriculture (ERA) in the eight EU-countries in the Baltic Sea drainage area were evaluated during 2001-2004. The empirical results were scaled up to calculate environmental impact and food production for three different scenarios. In one scenario the Baltic Countries and Poland convert their agriculture following the average Swedish production. This resulted in 58% increase of nitrogen and 18% increase in phosphorus surplus, a corresponding increase in the load to the Baltic Sea and increased food production. In two other scenarios agriculture production in the whole Baltic Sea drainage area converts to ERA. This halved the nitrogen surplus from agriculture and eliminated the surplus of phosphorus. In these scenarios food production would decrease or remain stable depending on strategy chosen., authorCount :2

Överallt och ingenstans - mångkulturella och antirasistiska frågor i svensk skola är en kunskapsöversikt som tar sin utgångspunkt i svensk invandringshistoria, skolpolitik, styrdokument samt forskning och projekt för att belysa vad vi i idag vet och i viss mån också vad som hittills gjorts inom området mångkultur i skolan. Författarna belyser de mångkulturella och antirasistiska frågorna utifrån ett kritiskt mångkulturellt teoretiskt perspektiv och den bild som växer fram är komplex. Några av översiktens viktigaste resultat är att goda integrationspolitiska intentioner länge funnits med på den politiska agendan men att det lika länge har funnits försvårande omständigheter för realisering av målen. Författarna uppmärksammar också att skolan under lång tid tilldelats nyckelrollen för att realisera samhälleliga integrationsmål samtidigt som resultaten i översikten visar att det finns en uttalad osäkerhet kring hur detta ska genomföras. Lärare lämnas relativt ensamma i arbetet mot rasism och främlingsfientlighet. Ett annat och framträdande resultat är att komplicerade frågor kring rasism, identitet och kultur har fokuserats i långt mindre omfattning än språkfrågan som länge har dominerat rapporter och projekt inom det mångkulturella området.

This chapter introduces the cases and the disciplinary approaches and methods. The BERAS study had a case study approach, and this report presents the interdisciplinary synthesis of the multidisciplinary study. Ultimately, the BERAS study attempted to clarify the potential impacts of enhanced localisation and recycling rather than to compare the average status of the present local, organic food systems and organic farms with the dominant food systems and agriculture.

This chapter introduces the concepts of the interdisciplinary work of the BERAS study - food system, sustainability, localisation, recycling, interdisciplinarity and case study approach - and shows how they relate to one another.

The introductory chapter describes the challenge and notes the complex of rural problem, associated with food systems, with focus on those in countries bordering the Baltic Sea. It concludes with the general hypothesis that food systems that are more local and recycling would be more sustainable than current ones.

This report presents the interdisciplinary synthesis of the multidisciplinary BERAS study: The research questions for the interdisciplinary work were as follows: Do localisation and recycling in rural food systems enhance sustainability, and what are the prerequisites for this?

There is good potential for sustainable localisation and recycling in rural food systems around the Baltic Sea. Localisation and recycling enhance sustainability in its ecological, economic and social dimensions. A sustainable way of localisation and recycling would be local recycling between farms and from the demand chain.

In this chapter, the interdisciplinary synthesis of the results of the BERAS project is presented and discussed. First, the effects of localisation and enhanced recycling on the ecological, economic and social dimensions of sustainability based on the case studies are reported, the cases where food systems and farms studied in their present state. Thereafter, the positive additional effects on sustainability obtainable by further promotion of localisation and recycling in the cases are suggested. The impact of total conversion to recycling organic agriculture is then considered. Obstacles to and solutions for localisation and recycling are identified. An finally, on the basis of these, conclusions about the sustainable way to localise and recycle are presented.

The Biodynamic Research Institute in Järna developed at the farm Yttereneby a two phase biogas plant. The plant digests manure of dairy cattle and organic residues originating from the farm and the surrounding food processing units containing 17,7 - 19,6 % dry matter. A new technology for continuously filling and discharging the biogas reactor was developed and implemented. Digestion residues are separated into a solid fraction for composting and into a liquid fraction. The solid fraction is suitable for aerobic composting. Initial results show that anaerobic digestion and following aerobic composting of the solid fraction improves the nitrogen balance of the farm compared to mere aerobic composting. Composted biogas plant residues and effluent together contain 70,8 % of input Ntot and 93,3 % of input NH4, merely aerobic digested manure 51,3 % Ntot and 3,9 % NH4 only. Additionally anaerobic digestion improves the energy balance of the farm producing up to 269 l biogas kg-1 VS or 1,7 kWh heat kg-1 VS.

During the last decade some so called ‘dry fermentation’ prototype plants were developed for anaerobic digestion of organic material containing 15-50 % total solids. These plants show added advantages com-pared to slurry digestion plants: Less reactor volume, less process energy, less transport capacity, less odour emissions. However on-farm dry fermentation plants are not common and rarely commercially available. This paper reports about an innovative two phase prototype biogas plant designed for continuous digestion of solid dairy cattle manure.

So called "dry fermentation" prototype plants for anaerobic digestion of organic material containing 15-50 % total solids show added advantages compared to slurry digestion plants (Hoffman 2001): Less reactor volume, less process energy, less transport capacity, less odour emissions. However on-farm dry fermentation plants are not common and rarely commercially available. Recent on-farm research (Kusch & Oechsner 2004) and prototype research (Linke 2004) show promising technical solutions for dry fermentation batch reactors on-farm. The Biodynamic Research Institute in Järna developed a two-phase on-farm biogas plant. The plant digests manure of dairy cattle and organic residues originating from the farm and the surrounding food processing units containing 17.7-19.6 % total solids. A new technology for continuously filling and discharging the hydrolysis reactor was developed and implemented. The output of the hydrolysis reactor is separated into a solid and liquid fraction. The solid fraction is composted. The liquid fraction is further digested in a methane reactor and the effluent used as liquid fertiliser. Initial results show that anaerobic digestion followed by aerobic composting of the solid fraction improves the nutrient balance of the farm compared to mere aerobic composting. Composted solid fraction and effluent together contain about 70 % of total input nitrogen and 94 % of input NH4. The manure that was merely aerobic digested contained about 51 % of total input nitrogen and 3.9 % of input NH4. Additionally anaerobic digestion improves the energy balance of the farm producing up to 269 l biogas kg-1 volatile solids or 1,7 kWh heat kg-1 volatile solids.

In this report we quantify nitrogen and phosphorus leakage on three farms in the BERAS project. The study is based on direct measurements of nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in drainage water and water flow measurements.

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of an increased share of local organic food based on local resources, especially on increased recycling (i.e. the impact of increased locality or localization), on sustainability of rural food systems around the Baltic Sea. Obstacles and solutions for sustainable localization and recycling were also identified. In addition to these main objectives, a methodological interest in developing interdisciplinary research processes was also incorporated. Case food systems in eight Baltic countries were studied on the basis of interviews and stakeholder workshops, as well as by analysis of environmental indicators and economic parameters at farm and food system level by a European multidisciplinary research group. According to the results, marked benefits on environment, local economy and social sustainability can be obtained through enhanced recycling and an increased share of local organic food in the rural food systems. These benefits require, however, well-informed choices for performing localization and recycling in a sustainable manner. Recycling, especially in agriculture, but also at the food system level, ensures environmental benefits while locality relieves that and is crucial for the benefits in local economy and social sustainability. The scale of sustainable localization varies, however, according to the product and process concerned. In some cases, recycling between the farms seems to require smaller economic compensation than recycling within the farms. To realize the potential of localization and recycling, marked obstacles have to be overcome by providing economic incentives for recycling to farmers, a local certificate and information to consumers and intensified cooperation between the local stakeholders.

The Biodynamic Research Institute in Järna developed an on-farm biogas plant integrated within the highly self-supporting farm organism, Skilleby-Yttereneby, one of the farms studied in the BERAS project. The biogas plant digests dairy cattle manure and organic residues originating from the farm and the surrounding food processing units.

The Finnish study was conducted on five BERAS-farms; two in the cereal-dominated south, one in the centre(Tampere), one in the animal-dominated north-west(Österbotten)and one in the east (Juva). In addition a more detailed study of eight farms located in the Juva region has been carried out.

The aims of this study were: To introduce a new method, primary nutrient efficiency, for the evaluation of nutrient utilization. To demonstrate and find key factors to reach a high utilization rate of nutrients.

Two ways of local recycling of te solid fraction of biowaste, one of which is combined with the production of biogas, have been studied within the BERAS-project. On-farm biogas plant treatment in Juva could also support agriculture.

The aim of this food basket scenario study based on average Finnish food consumption was to investigate if it is possible to reduce nitrogen surplus of agriculture by changing agricultural production methods and by how much. Existing average Finnish agricultural practises abd ecological farming practises investigated in the BERAS project are compared.

Two different organic waste management systems have been studied in the BERAS project. The most extensive study was of biowaste and nutrient flows in the community of Juva, Finland. The research methods used were waste flow and substance flow studies.

A theoretical model of an electroacoustic gas sensor has been designed and compared with experimental data. The sensor includes a piezoelectric element coupled to an acoustic resonator depending on the average molecular weight of the gas with respect to resonance frequency. The model is based on a transmission line coupled to a Butterworth van Dyke model of the piezoelectric element. The frequency characteristics of the sensor impedance was both simulated and measured on prototype sensors. The results indicate that the model provides an adequate description of overall sensor behaviour, and will constitute a useful design tool. Due to interdependencies of the model parameters, the precise quantification of sensor characteristics will either require highly accurate parameter data, or a considerably more complex model.

In both Finland and Sweden a family member collected the receipts or filled in purchase diaries for all food entering the household for human consumption during 14 days period. Information on the amount, price, origin and environmental brand of all food products was recorded. After the recording period, the families were interviewed about their food choices, food consumption and food purchasing habits.

Mötet mellan handläggare och sökande, och hur biståndsbedömningen görs, är centralt. Ändå finns inga yrkesspecifika metoder för hur det ska gå till. Hur bedömningen görs har konsekvenser också för hur personalen kommer att utföra sitt arbete., Ulla Hellström-Muhli intervjuad av Annika Granstedt.

In the industrialised world, waste management systems have developed to maturity without primary concern for recycling. These systems have originally been designed to ensure human health and a high local hygienic standard. More recently environmental concerns have been the driving force behind a technological development of sewage treatment with biological removal of N, P and organic matter. This technology addresses some immediate problems in the aquatic environment, but the sewage sludge from the treatment plants contains considerable quantities of xenobiotic compounds and heavy metals, and only a fraction of the nutrients that entered the urban areas, thus making the sludge a non-attractive fertiliser source. In recent years there has been concern about the sustainability of this state of affairs as regards wastewater handling, as well as concern about the fate of the final waste deposits in the environment. In the mid 1990s Danish organic farmers made a point of refusing to accept sewage sludge as a source of nutrients. This sparked a heated debate, and for a time all farmer organisations refused to accept sewage sludge on their fields, leading to severe problems in urban areas. One of the consequences of this conflict is that municipalities are increasingly seeking alternatives to returning sewage sludge to the land (e.g. burning or dumping), in order to rid their dependence of farmers acceptance. Another consequence has been that the issue of ‘closing the urban-rural nutrient circle’ as part of a sustainable development has received increasing attention among Danish organic farmers. This issue had been identified already in the early days of the organic movement in Denmark, but has never been a top priority. It was accentuated by a strong Swedish emphasis of agricultural use of human urine from source separating toilets that provided inspiration to look at implementing such techniques in Danish urban areas. One additional factor that has increased the prioriti

Biological treatment of organic waste by aerobic composting and anaerobic digestion (biogas production) was compared with respect to a number of environmental effects and sustainability criterias including energy balance, nutrient recycling, global warming mitigation potential, emission of xenobiotic compounds and economy. The parameters were assessed based on case studies in the literature as well as our own research. Assessment of energy balance, nutrient recycling and global warming came out in favour of biogas production, but especially the results regarding estimation of global warming mitigation differ according to the assumptions made. Our calculations showed that a fugitive loss of approx. 14% of the biogas produced by anaerobic digestion will turn the scale in favour of composting regarding global warming mitigation. In Europe actual biogas losses from 3.5 to 8.4% are reported but this may be exceeded in developing countries. Regarding emission of xenobiotic compounds composting is much in favour, as recent experiments show that a number of organic micro-pollutants are rapidly degraded during composting as opposed to anaerobic treatment. In most cases, composting is more cost-effective compared to biogas production but estimations of actual costs differ considerably. Published results of Life Cycle Assessment of organic waste management using the ORWARE model generally showed biogas production to have less environmental impact than composting, but it was demonstrated that changes in, e.g. system boundaries or functional units can result in substantial differences on the conclusions as well. In conclusion, the optimum waste planning strategy may be the implementation of an integrated waste treatment system operating with different scales of composting and anaerobic treatment, depending on local conditions.

The subject of this paper is the integration of food production and processing, distribution, and consumption on local markets in rural areas. We approach this integration from the point of view of an alternative food supply chain, a local food system as an example. The data were gathered through semistructured interviews with 12 entrepreneurs and 9 representatives of institutional food service units and restaurants in Eastern Finland.

The results of the study show that production of fertilizers is the biggest factor in the rye production chain. Therefore organic rye tillage is not as intensive in energy usage as conventional practices. The energy consumed for transportation does not play a big role in total energy consumption of rye consumed in Helsinki.