Abstract

This paper gives an overview of the present state of Swedish agriculture and discusses some problems and experiences of general interest. After an introductory section on the characteristics of Swedish agriculture, a number of problems are described, such as social problems, market imbalances, environmental damage, changes in landscape amenities, and animal health. Possible causes of these problems are discussed. Recent attempts to solve the problems as well as the current Swedish debate on more radical changes in agricultural policy are also discussed. The main components of a suggested program are subsidies to farmers based on their acreage of grazed land or grassland and elimination of the present price supports and market regulations