Baltic Deal gathers farmers and farmers’ advisory organisations around the Baltic Sea in a unique effort to raise the competence concerning agri-environmental practises and measures. The aim is to support farmers to reduce nutrient losses from farms, with maintained production and competiveness.The national advisory services play an important role in developing a more sustainable agriculture in the Baltic Sea region. Baltic Deal provides advisory organisations with improved, cost efficient methods and tools of how to support farmers to reduce nutrient losses from farms.Knowledge exchangeBaltic Deal aims to increase the knowledge exchange of sustainable agri-environmental practices in the Baltic Sea region. The project establishes a network for farmers and advisory services to exchange knowledge about good practices and learn from each other.Baltic Deal also makes study trips for farmers and advisors both within the country and to other countries in the region.Pilot activitiesAre practices for improved water management is tested in everyday farming and adjusted to farming conditions in each country.In pilot areas, such as at the B7 islands, the seven largest islands in the Baltic Sea, farmers test how to apply good agri-environmental practices. Tested measures are for example using plant cover outside growing season, improved fertilization methods, manure management and treatment of run-off waters.Demonstration farmsThe project establishes and maintains a large network of demonstration farms around the Baltic Sea. The farms demonstrate suitable agri-environmental investments, practises and measures from a farm business perspective.Joint effort to reduce nutrient lossesThe eutrophication status of the Baltic Sea is still unsatisfactory, despite decreased nutrient loads in recent decades. The problem of farm nutrient run-off eventually entering the Baltic Sea is recognised by the farmer’s federations in all the countries surrounding the Baltic Seawant to do their best to amend the situation.Baltic Deal is therefore a joint effort to improve the Baltic Sea environmental status by using cost efficient and competitive measures to reduce the nutrient losses from agriculture.PartnersBaltic Deal has seven project partners in seven countries. Two of them are farmers’ federations and five are advisory services. The countries involved are: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Denmark and Sweden.The project also has over 30 associated partners in all the nine countries around the Baltic Sea, including Russia. The associated partners are farmers associations, advisory services, ministries and other institutes and organisations.Baltic Deal is a flagship project of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. It is mainly funded by the Baltic Sea Regional Programme 2007-2013 and co-funded by the NEFCO/NIB Baltic Sea Action Plan Trust Fund. The total budget is around 4 million Euros. The project period is 2010 to 2013. Achievements: In the beginning of the project all seven project partners started up cooperation based on a common idea:to support farmers to reduce nutrient losses from farms with maintained production and competiveness.Reaching that goal includes two parts.The first is raising knowledge about the problem of on-farm nutrient losses that eventually may lead to eutrophication.The second is giving advisors and farmers the right tools for how to decrease nutrient losses in a cost efficient way. Important project results until March 2013:Countries in a common effort against eutrophication:A transnational network including advisory,farmers organisations in 7 countries around the Baltic Sea has been created through the project.It includes Estonia,Latvia,Lithuania,Poland,Finland,Denmark and Sweden.Measures and good praxis free of charge:A large number of measures with approved impact,good agricultural practise and knowledge about environmental issues and nutrient losses have been gathered and synthesisedCost calculations have been made on different measures reflecting different farms.Most relevant facts are made available to farmers and advisors on the project website www.balticdeal.eu The heart of the project – the web:The project web site is created with the aim of being a tool box for advisors and farmers and a source for knowledge.The web is regularly updated with new knowledge,results and news.118 farmersin one network:An impressive network of 118 demonstration farms have been created.The farms are demonstrating suitable agri-environmental investments,practices and measures.Loads of events:More than 90 study tours and workshops have been performed on the demonstration farms so far,with over 2000 participants.Advisors and farmers have been the primary target group.Around 100 journalists and a large number of politicians have participated in study tours and demo farm visits.A total amount of 11 conferences have been organized.Once a year (4 times) the conference A Greener Agriculture for Bluer Baltic Sea have been arranged together with Baltic Compass,BalticManure and WWF.Also 5 water forums have been organized.Two seminars have been held in Brussels,of which one has been in EU Parliament.Seen and heard about Baltic Deal:The project has co-produced 27 short movie clips,that have been seen by around 70000 persons.An inspiring brochure presenting the best agricultural practices around the Baltic Sea has been created as well as a movie about it. www.balticdeal.eu/documents/brochure-best-agricultural-practices-around-the-baltic-sea/The brochure has been spread in around 3500 copies. Media has reported about the project around 200 times since 2011.Work on the development of educational game and report on farmers attitudes have been completed.Active in social media:Since 2011 the project is active in social media informing about events,project issues and partners.Visit Baltic Deal on Facebookwww.facebook.com/balticdeal and follow on twitter www.twitter.com/BalticDeal