Farm-related factors influencing the adoption of short-rotation willow coppice production among Swedish farmers

The area of short-rotation willow coppice energy plantations on Swedish far mland increased quickly in the early 1990s because of subsidies for energy crop production, an increased CO2 tax on fossil fuel and an already existin g biofuel market in the country. In this study farm-related determinants fo r the adoption of short-rotation willow coppice production among Swedish fa rmers are identified and estimated. A Tobit model is applied to cross-secti onal data on Swedish farmers in 1995. The results show that the decision to plant willow and the areas planted depend positively on arable land area, forest land area, the area of other land types, leasing out of arable land and tractor ownership. Negative factors an pasture areal tenancy and animal production. Differences in willow growing between ownership types, age gro ups and geographical regions are also important. The policy implications of the results are discussed.