We calculate on average harvests

When Lantmännen sells Climate & Nature to its customers, we do so in volume of grain or processed raw material (e.g. flour). We convert hectares to tonnes by using an average harvest for the regions where Climate & Nature is grown, based on data from Statistics Sweden, Statistics Sweden. The average harvest is based on the seven most recent harvests (minus the highest and lowest harvest during that interval) and is an average of the five remaining harvests. We use an average of five harvests as it can vary greatly between different harvest years, as well as to exclude extremities, which affect the climate benefit per tonne of grain even though exactly the same measures and work have been carried out on the farm.

Averages depend on area and time

In the climate calculations for Climate & Nature, standard data and averages are currently used. The averages used vary based on the area or time period you choose to calculate on. If you take the average harvest as an example, it depends a lot on which area in Sweden you grow in. For example, the yields in southern Sweden are usually higher than in northern Sweden. The average harvest is also greatly affected by the years studied, as the harvest levels vary as a result of weather and climate. Because of this, we follow how Climate & Nature performs locally, but also how the program performs on average for the whole country.

Focus on reducing emissions, not offsetting

Climate & Nature contains climate-reducing measures and no climate-compensating measures. This means, for example, that we replace fossil fuels on farms with renewable ones, thus reducing the farm's climate impact. The emission-reducing measures that we implement within Climate & Nature always take place within the value chain for grain farming.

We have chosen to focus first and foremost on the phasing out of fossil energy rather than, for example, sequestering carbon in arable land. Sequestration of carbon is an important tool, but it is partly more difficult to calculate and partly problematic to determine the lasting effect and ensure that the carbon is not released into the atmosphere again at any later date. Therefore, we have started by including reductions that we are sure they will occur. However, carbon sequestration is an area that is being developed, and Lantmännen is contributing with further research.

Climate calculations

In the climate calculations for Climate & Nature, all elements in the field that affect the climate are taken into account. To understand how the different activities affect the climate, Lantmännen has collected data on the climate impact from the production of input goods to activities that take place for the cultivation.

To define the different activities that take place on the farm, such as how much fertilizer is used or how much fuel is used when ploughing and sowing, official statistics and data are collected from several actors.

In addition to describing activities and inputs that lead to emissions, we also take into account emissions that occur due to land use. These emissions are based on standard models from the IPCC (UN Climate Agency). However, we only take emissions from land use into account and not increased carbon storage in soil, which happens naturally when crops grow. This is because there have been no standardized calculation methods for carbon dioxide uptake and that Climate & Nature has not focused on criteria that promote uptake, but rather on those that reduce the climate impact of inputs and activities on farms.

By using these data points, we get a clear and reliable picture of what a Swedish cereal cultivation looks like. We then simulate Climate & Nature's criteria in the same calculation model to calculate the program's effects on Swedish cereal cultivation. Thus, we can compare the results and present the climate effects that occur when Climate & Nature measures are used.

The effect with and without fossil-free fertilizer

From harvest 2023, fossil-free mineral fertilizer is a criterion in Climate & Nature. The fossil-free mineral fertilizer is a groundbreaking criterion because it contributes to a significant climate reduction in cultivation. The production of fossil-free mineral fertilizer is still early in development, which means that the additional cost is higher. Therefore, during a transition period, Lantmännen offers Climate & Nature both with and without fossil-free fertilizer. This enables more people to participate and contribute to a sustainable transition. 

The results from the calculations show that Climate & Nature with fossil-free fertilizer today has up to 45% lower emissions compared to the Swedish average cultivation in 2015. Climate & Nature without fossil-free fertilizer today has up to 30% lower emissions compared to the Swedish average cultivation in 2015.

Delimitations and sources

For the calculations of the Climate & Nature cultivation programme, Lantmännen has chosen to focus on the cultivation of the raw material, i.e. the calculations include all activities from the production of inputs, to the farm, until the drying of the grain. Activities after drying the grain, such as transport to the store, are not included in the calculations. 

When it comes to fossil-free value chains, similar calculation methods are used and the value chain has been developed to include activities all the way until a package of wheat flour is produced in the factory.

Data sources and assumptions that build our 
Calculations for Climate & Nature:

• Average harvest –Statistics Sweden
• Kalk – Swedish Board of Agriculture and National Inventory Document to UNFCCC
• Fertilizer production – Yara
• Proportion of topsoil in Sweden - National Inventory Document to UNFCCC  / SMED (2021)
• Humus content in other soil - based on internal knowledge from Lantmännen's cultivation consultancy
• Basic leaching - Constant for national calculations, retrieved from Agrosphere. Agrosphere in turn retrieves from SLU, Calculation of the impact of different cultivation measures on nitrogen leaching, Appendix 1&2.
• Soil type - based on internal knowledge from Lantmännen's cultivation consultancy
• Amount of seed - Grow
• Proportion of BAT fertiliser used in Sweden - Estimate is made in consultation with one of our fertiliser suppliers, Lantmännen's cultivation consultancy and data from Lantmännen's own fertiliser sales.
• Fertiliser application - Swedish Board of Agriculture's guidelines for fertilisation and liming
• Phosphorus and potassium - Grow
• Plant protection – RISE
• Fuel consumption – RISE
• Water content and drying - Lantmännen's drying agreement
• Straw salvage - National Inventory Document to UNFCCC

Ploughing - based on internal knowledge from Lantmännen's cultivation consultancy

In-depth study

For those who want to delve deeper into the climate calculations for the cultivation program Climate & Nature, the calculation principles are described in detail via this link. The calculations are made in accordance with Agrosfär's calculation model and are described in a report that can be found through this page.

Next steps

Climate & Nature evolves over time and Lantmännen continuously evaluates and adds criteria to be included in the programme. The programme has currently phased out the absolute majority of fossil emissions and in the future we will need to focus more on biogenic emissions in the form of nitrous oxide emissions from soil and carbon sequestration in the soil. These are two areas that the Lantmännen Research Foundation continues to research further in order to increase knowledge and find effective measures for the future. 
In addition to criteria development, Lantmännen is also working to improve data quality and include primary data from farms in calculations. However, this is a work that will take time. Farmers today have the opportunity to use hardware to measure how much fuel has been used, for example, but there is still work to be done in terms of correct and efficient documentation that can be shared more widely.