Stayin’ Alive: New Associations in Southern Lapland Farming

Abstract

Despite diminishing in overall numbers, the persistence of local agriculture in Swedish upland areas forces us to investigate how farmers have adapted their specific style of farming to the requirements of contemporary food production and consumption. The emergence of short food supply chains (SFSC) and the evolution of consumer attitudes with regard to environmental protection, climate change and animal welfare have opened new opportunities for rescaling the food sustainability debate in the periphery at the community and landscape levels. Against this background, this chapter departs from the myth of ‘upland farming demise’ and delves deeper into the lively new scene of upland producers pursuing farm-based lifestyles.