Bottlenecks in organic farming in Northern Norway
Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Arctic Agriculture and LandUse Division, Tjøtta, N-8860, Norway; e-mail: ievina.sturite@bioforsk.no
Abstract:
In Norway, the goal of 15% organic food production within 2015 is too ambitious if the current growth rate of organic farmland is continued. Hence, a study of bottlenecks within organic farming systems in Northern Norway, and farmer’s preconditions to convert was conducted in spring 2007. A questionnaire was sent to certified and former certified organic farmers, and a control group of conventional farmers. For organic farmers the most important bottlenecks were public regulations and organic price premiums. Conventional farmers feared yield decrease, restricted forage availability and extra work. In 2008, interviews with selected farmers and officials in local municipalities were conducted to explore the reasons for large differences between certified organic farmland.
Key words:
conversion, farmer’s motives, organic farming, regional level