Baltic Sea Farmer of the Year 2020: Criteria

Regional Farmer of the Year Award 2020 Postponed

The covid-19 pandemic is also having consequences for the popular competition – the Baltic Sea Farmer of the Year. WWF has decided to cancel the regional event this year. The next regional competition will take place in 2021.

“Unfortunately, it is not possible to carry out the necessary farm visits in many countries around the region. It is also uncertain if it will be possible to arrange an international conference for the award ceremony this autumn. WWF thanks the farmers who have already submitted nominations. We will save them for next year,” says Ottilia Thoresen, Director of the WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme.

Nominee(s)

Farmers can nominate themselves or be nominated by a third party. It is important that both male and female farmers are nominated. The nominee(s) does not have to be an individual but can also be a family farm or a farm enterprise.

Geographical criteria

The nominee(s) must operate within the Baltic Sea catchment area.

Economic criteria

The competition will be limited to professional farmers – i.e. farmers who derive their income from agricultural production (i.e. animal husbandry and/or plant cultivation).

A wide range of applicants are encouraged to apply – i.e. farms can be small to large scale farms focused on either traditional conventional production or kept organic. Farms with or without animals can apply.

Environmental criteria – nutrients

Nominee(s) must have undertaken concrete measures to reduce nutrient emissions from their farm. Nutrient emissions include both nutrient leaching to water and gaseous losses as ammonia emissions from manure.

Nominee(s) cannot have any problems with fulfilling the minimum legislative environmental standards or have any judicial process ongoing concerning environmental protection, animal welfare, labour protection or other relevant legislation.

The measures undertaken to reduce nutrient emissions should be innovative or even “extraordinary” with reference to national context and standard. The nominee(s) should be able to be demonstrate the effect of these measures on reducing eutrophication. This means that the farmer:

• May have invented, tested or practiced his/her own successful measures to reduce nutrient emissions and can demonstrate the benefits of this.
• Might be using conventional, well proven measures but applying them in a large scale.
• May be able to measure the effects – or – be somewhat of a pioneer in his/her area for a new technique which is promising but not yet able to be measured.
• Might not fit in perfectly to any of the criteria above but is a good ambassador for applying effective methods to reducing nutrient emissions from their farm.

Other beneficial aspects

The base criteria for the award focus on measures taken to reduce eutrophication. Other important issues related to farming, while not a priority, will be given additional consideration and appreciated as added benefits in the contest. These can include the following:

• reduction of the use of pesticides
• climate change mitigation and adaptation measures
• measures that promote biological diversity
• educational efforts and/or serving as a positive example to inspire other farmers