Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to illustrate how a traditionally very production oriented area like agriculture can become more market oriented, and how research can be an important help in decision making as well as an important argument in convincing different parties that a new track must be chosen. The paper is divided in two parts. The first part presents some research findings that have been important in the developement of the business idea. The second part of the paper present how the strategy of LRF has changed since the first survey and how marketing and communication has been used to further the new strategy. Two years after this initial study, the Federation of Swedish Farmers changed track. Instead of the traditional farmers union resistance to all proposals of cuts in agricultural subsidies, a more market and consumer oriented strategy was adopted. This did not mean a total capitulation in any way, but was a real breaktrough for a new way of thinking. Hand in hand with this major policy-change went image campaigns, ambitious environmental programs and many other things. Business Ecology is about applying ecology to business in a profitable way. How traditional marketing has been applied in communicating the new message from the farmers to the consumers is described.