Surplus manure created in livestock production is a challenge for many meat-producing farms. Transporting and spreading slurry is cost-efficient only to fields to which lengthy transportation is not needed. If manure is processed so that its valuable nutrients are preserved, its spreading area can be expanded to cover fields that are further away and low on phosphorus. Their soil will benefit not only from the phosphorus but also from the organic matter transported with the manure.

“By utilising nutrients efficiently and in a way that is regionally balanced, we can achieve significant positive environmental impacts, e.g. a marked decrease in runoff risk, and a lower risk of nutrient discharges to waterways”, says Ulf Jahnsson, Director at HKScan responsible for strategic projects in primary production. ”At HKScan, we continue to build our Agrofood ecosystem^® network. The project that is now being launched will expand our recycled manure cooperation from poultry farms to pig farms”.

Strong push to reduce environmental impact

Emomylly Oy, a company from HKScan’s pig production chain that has been developing its own manure treatment, has been selected to join the pilot phase. The company is owned by seven HKScan contract pig farms, which it represents collectively. Even before now, Emomylly has worked on biogas production based on the further processing of manure, to a large extent meeting their own internal demand. The use of other forms of bioenergy is also strongly growing within the company.

“At Emomylly, we have a strong focus on reducing the environmental impact of pork production. One of our procedures is separating slurry, which significantly reduces the volume of water in the manure. Solid separated slurry is transported to a partner’s cultivated field plot that is low on phosphorus”, explains Heikki Sampolahti from Emomylly Oy.

With these procedures, we can promote a sustainable circular economy and the good status of both waterways and soil. They also have a positive climate impact.

The John Nurminen Foundation supports the implementation of the Satakunta Manure Recycling pilot – cooperation with farmers and producers is key

The John Nurminen Foundation, known for its work to protect the Baltic Sea and its cultural heritage, has launched the project, and will participate in it with a so-called “phosphorus transfer subsidy” that covers the costs of manure transportation and spreading.

Most of the nutrient load from land that causes eutrophication in the Baltic Sea originates in agriculture. Earlier, the Foundation has worked to promote the gypsum treatment of fields, a method that has been proven to be efficient, in Savijoki, Lieto and by the River Vantaa, where a 3,500 hectare gypsum treatment project is currently underway. “Efficient first aid measures such as gypsum are needed in agricultural waterway protection, but we want to be involved also in finding solutions to the root causes of high nutrient loads, which in Southwestern Finland means tackling manure concentrations from livestock production in certain areas”, says Annamari Arrakoski-Engardt, Secretary General of the Foundation.

During the three-year project, a total of 7,500 kg of manure phosphorus will be transferred from the livestock production stronghold of Huittinen in Satakunta – where there is a surplus of nutrients – to the Pirkanmaa crop production area, where there is a nutrient deficit. The goal is to create local environmental benefits and improve the status of both waterways and the soil, thereby reducing the nutrient loads that end up in the Bothnian Sea.  Another objective of the project is to create information and operational models for improving the nutrient balance of livestock production throughout Finland.

“Farmers take care of food production for all Finns, which is an immensely valuable thing for us all. At the same time, controlling the non-point nutrient load from agriculture is considerably more difficult than controlling the point loads from cities and industries, which have, in fact, been significantly reduced. In Finland, agriculture is responsible of approximately 70% of the total phosphorus load with a human origin that ends up in the Baltic Sea, and climate change will increase nutrient runoffs further. For there to be hope for the Baltic Sea, the root cause of the load has to be tackled on a systemic level. The operational model of the Satakunta Manure Recycling pilot project was created on the initiative of the producers. We hope that with the information and experiences we gain from the project can be used to launch similar operations in Finland at large – together with the farmers and the producers”, says Marjukka Porvari, Director of the Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects.

Raisio Group promotes environmentally smart grain production

Soil health management and a good nutrient balance of the soil are key factors in responsible grain farming. ”Using organic fertilizers is one way to control the environmental impact of grain farming. We offer the Raisio contract farmers an opportunity to take part in the Satakunta Manure Recycling pilot project, and receive support for manure transportation”, says Minna Oravuo, Grain Manager at Raisio.

Using manure as a fertilizer supports both the soil health management of the field, and carbon retention in grain farming. Finnish farmers are increasingly interested in mitigating the climate impact of food production, and they want to find sustainable solutions for grain farming.

More information:

Ulf Jahnsson
Vice President, Strategic Development Primary Production, HKScan
Tel. +358 400 784 193

Heikki Sampolahti
Emomylly Oy
Tel. +358 40 861 7799

Marjukka Porvari
Director, Clean Baltic Sea projects
John Nurminen Foundation
Tel. +358 41 549 1535
marjukka.porvari(at)jnfoundation.fi

Minna Oravuo
Grain Manager, Raisio Group
Tel. +358 44 371 2718

HKScan Media Service Desk
Tel. +358 010 570 5700
communications@hkscan.com

HKScan’s target is to grow into a versatile food company.  With over 100 years of experience, we make tasty, healthy and responsibly produced food responding to the needs of consumers and customers. For us at HKScan, responsibility includes the development of food production throughout the value chain, from farms to consumers. Our home markets cover Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the Baltics. Our nearly 7,000 HKScan professionals ensure tastier life – today and tomorrow. Our diverse product portfolio includes poultry, pork and beef, as well as meat products and meals. Our strong brands are HK^®, Kariniemen^®, Via^®, Scan^®, Pärsons^®, Rakvere^®, Tallegg^® and Rose^®.  In 2019, net sales of the publicly listed HKScan totalled EUR 1.7 billion. www.hkscan.com

John Nurminen Foundation – Baltic Sea protection and marine culture
Founded in 1992, the purpose of the John Nurminen Foundation is to save the Baltic Sea and its heritage to future generations. The Foundation has been awarded for its work as a communicator of information and producer of marine content. The goal of the Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects is to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea with tangible measures that will reduce the load and environmental risks directed towards the sea. The work is steered by measurable results and impact. www.johnnurmisensaatio.fi/en

Raisio is an international company specialised in healthy, responsibly produced food. Our well-known brands include, for example, Benecol, Elovena, Nalle and Sunnuntai. In Raisio’s products, the focus is on well-being, health, good taste and sustainable development. Profitable growth is ensured through our strong expertise and passion for creating new. Raisio’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.  In 2019, the Group’s net sales totalled EUR 236 million and EBIT was EUR 27 million… Our food is good for Health, Heart and Earth. More information on Raisio is available at www.raisio.com

More information on HKScan’s Agrofood Ecosystem network

Towards more responsible food production with the Agrofood Ecosystem network

In the autumn of 2019, HKScan began building the Agrofood Ecosystem network in Finland. The objective is to create a more efficient food value chain and increasingly responsible food production operations. HKScan is building a cooperation network whose knowledge, knowhow, and best practices can be collected and widely utilised by customers and consumers in the HKScan market areas. The development work aims to improve responsibility in the meat production chain, increase transparency, improve the productivity of the food chain operators, and ensure competiveness. Development areas in primary production comprise domestic protein crops, energy efficiency, improving soil health management, and optimized plant nutrition. HKScan Agrofood Ecosystem network development is part of Business Finland’s Food from Finland programme.

Responsibly produced food with a good conscience

HKScan works on many fronts to diminish its environmental impact, and to promote the sustainable use of natural resources. The key objectives of HKScan’s corporate responsibility work are responding to the needs of consumers and customers with healthy, high-quality, responsibly produced products that taste good. For HKScan, it is important that consumers can eat locally grown and responsibly produced meat and meat products with a good conscience.