The farmer of today is manager of an economic enterprise. His role is to develop the enterprise, keep the economy in order and if possible continue development. If he does not succeed his enterprise will meet problems and in larger scale the whole industry.
The market economy favours specialization and growth. This is almost a general rule. In for instance animal production you try to maximize according to your circumstances.
However, we have also the ecology to consider in agricultural production. To a large extent economy and ecology go together. Efficient resource utilization is also economically favourable. Sweden has come far in this development. But in that situation further environmental work will generate costs and diminish competitiveness.
The other day we had a meeting with a group of farmers. An animal intensive area. In general there is an excess of phosphorus compared to agronomically correct recommendations.
What to do? To reduce the number of animals will badly harm the farm economy. The current phosphorus application is in fact not in excess of the offtake by crop products. If only the phosphorus content in the soil were lower there could be balance in the system. A temporary effort (tens of years) to reduce the phophorus in soils? Maybe.
But this could not be the responsibility of the farmer, who has developed his enterprise according to the rules given by the society.
