The Vemmenhög project

The Vemmenhög project was launched in Skåne in 1990 to investigate whether plant protection products were leaking into surface water in agricultural areas and to reduce the risk to the surrounding water environment. Based on the results from water sampling, participating farmers were offered voluntary, personalized advice on how to handle these products safely. At the national level, the government and industry introduced various initiatives, including financial incentives and new regulations. Together, these actions were very successful and led to measurable improvements in the watercourses studied in the Vemmenhög project.

The Vemmenhög Project can be seen as the starting point of Sweden’s environmental monitoring program for pesticides. It began when researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in the mid-1980s discovered levels of pesticides in agricultural streams that were clearly higher than those found in more controlled laboratory studies and research fields. This led to various speculations about the causes, which in turn sparked the idea of a larger field study in a real farming area.

Studied an entire catchment area

In the spring of 1990, SLU researcher Jenny Kreuger launched the so-called Vemmenhög project in a nine-square-kilometer catchment area in southern Skåne. The project began with an invitation to all 35 farmers in the area to attend a meeting, where they were informed about the project's aim – to collaborate with them in collecting reliable data and thereby avoid speculation.

Water samples were then regularly collected at five locations within the catchment area, as well as at its outlet, where an automatic sampler had been installed. The samples were analyzed for the presence of 46 commonly used plant protection products. Through interviews, the farmers also provided detailed information about their use of plant protection products, their equipment, and their handling practices. Thanks to this data and the sampling results from the different sites, a number of conclusions could gradually be drawn.

In addition to weather conditions - particularly rainfall shortly after application - and the chemical properties of the substances, it became clear that point sources were a major contributing factor to the leakage. These were mainly linked to filling and cleaning of spraying equipment, as well as weed control on farmyards, where biological activity is low. Weed control on farmyards alone was estimated to contribute around 20 percent of the total pesticide leakage into surface water.

Provided on-site advice

After several years without noticeable changes in the results, the next step in the project was to invite advisor Eskil Nilsson. The goal was to see whether targeted advice could help reduce pesticide levels in the Vemmenhög stream. At the usual farmer meeting in the autumn of 1994, Eskil provided general guidance on the safe handling of plant protection products and how to minimize risks—following the principle that “every drop counts”.

Farmers were then offered free, individual on-farm consultations tailored to the specific conditions of each farm. To build trust and allow for open, constructive discussions about problems and possible solutions, the advice was given confidentially. The visits addressed practical matters such as safe storage of pesticides, how to avoid point-source contamination during sprayer filling and cleaning, and how to establish buffer zones near wells and open ditches. Farmers were encouraged to voluntarily test their sprayers to prevent leaks from hoses and nozzles, and received advice on safer dosing practices. The risks of using herbicides on farmyards were also discussed.

Local pesticide suppliers were also contacted to ensure they had the same information—since they regularly interact with farmers and discuss these issues.

Already the year after Eskil began his advisory work (1995), pesticide levels in surface water dropped significantly compared to previous years—even though usage remained at the same level.

New initiatives from industry and authorities

Starting in 1997, the government introduced stricter requirements on the use and handling of plant protection products, such as mandatory buffer zones near water and the obligation to keep spraying records. The information campaign Säkert Växtskydd (Safe Plant Protection) was launched, driven by the Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF) in cooperation with the industry and several authorities, as a voluntary effort to increase safety in plant protection practices.

The following year, funding became available through the EU’s agricultural support program for “Sustainable conventional farming”, which included measures such as secure filling stations for sprayers, sprayer inspections, and training courses for sprayer operators. In the Vemmenhög area, the first biobed for safe sprayer filling was installed in 1998.

The industry also followed by including an environmental clause in contracts between sugar beet growers and the industry, offering extra payment for environmental measures, including the safe handling of plant protection products.

By 1998, pesticide levels in the Vemmenhög stream had dropped by over 90 percent compared to the levels recorded during the project’s first years. A key reason for these positive results was the interest and trust shown by the farmers, fostered by the project’s voluntary and confidential approach (no early results were published). By adopting relatively simple measures based on research and advice, the farmers demonstrated that environmental pesticide levels could be drastically reduced.

Measurements continued for another 20 years, showing some year-to-year variation, but levels have remained well below those recorded in the early 1990s. This indicates that the project successfully reduced leakage from point sources dramatically, while diffuse runoff from fields remains harder to control. The results also show that farmers maintained their improved routines for handling and using plant protection products even after the Vemmenhög project ended.

The start of the National environmental monitoring

In 2002, the National environmental monitoring of pesticides was launched, with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) as the responsible authority and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) as the implementer. The program monitors agricultural streams in four small catchments representing the major agricultural regions: Skåne, Halland, Västra Götaland, and Östergötland, as well as two larger streams in Skåne. The program also includes sampling and analysis of groundwater, sediment, precipitation, and air for pesticide residues.

In 2006, the SLU Centre for Pesticides in the Environment (CKB) was established, with Jenny Kreuger as its first director and Eskil Nilsson serving on its steering committee.

Read more

Pesticides in stream water within an agricultural catchment in southern Sweden, 1990–1996. The Science of the Total Environment 216, 1998. 227-251. Jenny Kreuger.

Catchment scale risk-mitigation experiences – key issues for reducing pesticide transport to surface waters. 2001 BCPC Symposium Proceedings NO. 78: Pesticide Behaviour in Soil and Water.  Jenny Kreuger & Eskil Nilsson.

Pesticides in stream water within an agricultural catchment in southern Sweden. Teknisk rapport nr 32, Avd för vattenvårdslära, SLU 1996. Jenny Kreuger

Losses of pesticides from agriculture. IAEA_SM-297/21, 1988, s 101-112. Jenny Kreuger & Nils Brink

National environmental monitoring of pesticides (only in Swedish, an English version will be uploaded shortly)