Herbicide Spraying in Finland 1960s

Farmers in Finland were slow in adopting herbicide use in the 1950s with only 12% of the acreage treated and fields were overrun with weeds. The Finnish government launched a national weed control program in the 1960s to promote the use of herbicides and herbicide use increased steadily. Today, more than 95% of cereal crop acres in Finland are treated with herbicides annually.

“In Finland, weeds are of relatively great significance because of the open ditch drainage systems in the fields. After the second world war the problem of weeds assumed an even greater importance owing to the mechanization of plant production. In Finland the use of herbicides was not, however, very prevalent in the 1950’s as in most other agricultural countries.

In view of the above facts a national weed campaign was launched in collaboration with agricultural organizations in 1962. The plan of campaign covered a period of three years. The promotion of the chemical control in cereal crops was the foremost object of the first year. Despite adverse climatic conditions the work proved most successful and the field acreage sprayed with herbicides was doubled, covering finally some 300,000 hectares, corresponding to 28% of the total cereal acreage.”

Author: Mukula, J.
Affiliation: Department of Plant Husbandry, Tikkurila, Finland.
Title: National weed campaign of 1962.
Source: Maatal ja Koetoum. 1963. 17:192-200.