Video: Organic food from Finland

Explore the Finnish organic production! Organic milk, grain and meat producers tell about their work as makers of the organic food. Produced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, eight minutes and 18 seconds in length.

The video begins with sheep getting on a boat in the archipelago and continues to follow the sheep’s voyage with quotes from Sebastian Nurmi, an organic sheep farmer from Raasepori: In summer, the life an organic sheep is great. You can tell they had a good life there. And when the side products are equally good – good environment, nature’s diversity and tasty meat – then all is good.

The video then continues to show grain fields being mowed by a harvester with quotes from Michael Hornborg, an organic farmer from Lohja: My ancestors have for hundreds of years produced whatever was needed. And the fact that I can do the same, and in a sustainable way, farm organically, feels so good. The winter takes care of what elsewhere is done by pesticides. Organic food is business but it also enables people, nature and our animals to stay healthy.

Next the video shows a child picking up dandelions and feeding them to pigs and pigs in their pens with quotes from Reetta Kivi, an organic pig farmer from Karkkila: We know that our piggies feel good when they have the opportunity to be in their natural environment and for instance grub around. The best sign of a happy customer is when they come back and become regulars. That’s how we know they are happy with what they see and taste. At our farm, organic pork production is the big thing. There is no way we could go back to normal production, organic pig farming is what we want to develop and where we want to put our efforts in.

Next the video shows a milk truck driving in the middle of fields and arriving to a farm, as well as cows on a field and being milked. The clip includes quotes from Mikael Wathén, an organic milk producer from Hausjärvi: Our animals are individuals and we know them. You can see from an animal how they feel and, as a producer, I find it important that they feel good. The well-being of animals is important to me, for my motivation and the profitability of production. We have a purpose in this production. I want to serve Finnish consumers by producing Finnish food. We produce milk.

Lastly, the video shows a woman feeding hay to cows and cows running on a field with quotes from Anna Alm, an organic meat producer from Raasepori: My profession is quite amazing, I get to cultivate soil as food for people. It is pretty cool actually. In organic production it is a key factor to appreciate animal habits and the way plants grow. The nature is so great here, and I want to make it even better. I want to be a part of nature. I am sure the taste reflects our production methods but also my enthusiasm, and the fact that we choose pedigree cattle that are good to produce and good on the plate.