“How does the Government intend to safeguard the infrastructure that ensures milk can be collected, processed and delivered to people in peacetime, in crisis and, ultimately, in war?” That is the headline of a joint opinion piece by Norrmejerier and Arla.
In an article published on Dagens Industri’s debate pages, senior representatives of the two dairy cooperatives argue that viable, farmer-owned dairies are essential to safeguarding food security in northern Sweden. The piece is signed by Gerhard Bley (CEO, Norrmejerier), Göran Olofsson (Chair, Norrmejerier), Cecilia Kocken (CEO, Arla Sweden) and Inger-Lise Sjöström (Vice Chair, Arla), and is reproduced in full on both Arla’s and Norrmejerier’s websites.
Dairy supply as a pillar of national preparedness
The authors take as their starting point the Swedish Government’s decision to rebuild national grain reserves – an important step towards strengthening food preparedness. However, true resilience requires robust food production across the whole country, they argue. In northern Sweden, dairy companies are a cornerstone of that system. Milk can be produced year-round on northern grasslands and supports domestic beef production.
Farmer-owned cooperatives play a pivotal role. Arla and Norrmejerier are owned by their dairy farmers, ensuring that milk is collected even where distances are vast and costs are high, processed regionally, and distributed to shops, schools and care homes throughout Norrland. This integrated chain, from farm to retailer, exists because farmers collectively shoulder responsibility for the infrastructure. Maintaining collection, processing and distribution across such distances is costly and cannot be sustained long term without political backing. This is not a regional special interest, but a matter of national preparedness.
A policy gap compared with neighbouring countries
Compared with neighbouring Nordic countries, Sweden stands out. More than 70 per cent of Finland’s milk is produced in its northern regions, and around 30 per cent in Norway, compared with barely 10 per cent in Sweden – a difference shaped by policy and economic conditions rather than climate.
The authors call for joint action by policymakers and market actors to secure long-term conditions for rural cooperatives, recognise northern dairy supply as critical infrastructure, include “living stocks” such as milk in preparedness planning, and prioritise Swedish produce from public procurement to supermarket shelves.
Rebuilding grain reserves is an important first step. The next must be to secure the framework conditions for dairy cooperatives that underpin food security in northern Sweden, the article concludes.