Deep Roots

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Versatility as strength

in Finnish family farming

Petteri Orpo, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland;

with Nilla Möller, Annukka Lyra and Kati Leppälahti

amily farming has brought many opportunities and

benefits to Finland’s society. The base of Finnish

farming lies on small and mid-sized farms that are

often family owned. Finland has a unique geographical

profile with arctic climate conditions, vast forests and

numerous lakes that characterize and define the farming

models. Due to that, and for historical reasons, Finnish

family farming is a source of innovations in combining

sources of livelihood – such as tourism, bioeconomy and

forestry – with family farming. Family farming in Finland

boosts local economies by being versatile and innovative.

Finland is an arctic country and the most northern agricultural

country in the world. The population is around 5.5 million and

it is the eighth largest country in Europe with an area of 338,424

square kilometres. The growing season is short; in southern

Finland it lasts 160-190 days, and in the north 110-150 days.

The temperatures vary a great deal through the year, and the

highest and lowest temperatures range from +30 to -30 degrees

Celsius. Cold temperatures and night frost in both early and

late summer shorten the growing season. In northern Finland

the summer has a period of nightless nights, when the sun does

not set at all. However, the plants cannot take full advantage of

the warmth accumulated over the long day. Adverse climate is

a serious handicap for animal husbandry as well. Because of the

arctic conditions with the long, cold winter, the building costs

of livestock buildings and warehouses are high. Additional

costs are created by the short pasture season, heating and insu-

lation, and storage of feed during winter. Cold conditions also

have some advantages for agriculture, as many plant diseases

and pests don’t survive over the winter.

On the European scale the country’s average yields of

arable farming are very low. Almost a quarter of Finland’s

area is covered by water and 86 per cent of the land area is

Image: Marianna Laitinen

Petteri Orpo, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry: “Family farming in Finland boosts local economies by being versatile and innovative”

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