A reduction of resource use is key to move towards a circular economy. Manure contains nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus and is therefore an important resource that can be recycled to boost crop growth and replace the nutrients that were removed from soils with crops harvested. By utilizing manure in an efficient way, agriculture can contribute to a circular economy, by a reduction in use of phosphorous in mineral fertilizers and reduce nutrient leakage.
Individual farmers determine their optimal use of manure by minimizing their costs and maximizing their returns, given existing regulations. A farmer’s decision is likely to differ from what is optimal from a societal perspective, which take into account also how the environment is affected by manure use. Therefore, policy instruments are needed to ensure that manure is used in a way that is optimal from a societal perspective.
The purpose of this study is to discuss:
- What is the optimal use of manure and how it differs from today’s use.
- What need is there for additional policy instruments.
- What types of instruments are available and how they can be designed.
The project is commissioned by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management and will be finalised in Spring 2018.