In Finland, migratory geese declared a threat: people demand money and blood

Here is the news: The Finnish Federation of Agricultural and Forestry Producers has appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland, as well as to the Ministry of the Environment, demanding that the issue of migratory geese be resolved. This is an open statement to the press, with warnings of an appeal to the European Commission and the EU Court.

The Finnish federation claims that migratory geese are devouring the country’s crops at the root. Literally threatening Finland’s food security and pushing the country to the brink of famine.

According to representatives of big business, white-fronted geese caused 3 million euros in damages to Finnish farmers last year. Some regions of the country, such as North Karelia, have been struggling with the ever-growing goose problem for almost 20 years. And the potential damage this year, in 2025, is something Finnish farmers fear to even imagine. But they are certain it will be even worse.

And so, I read these news reports in the media. And I’m horrified by the readers' comments. Many people unconditionally support the commercial agricultural alliance in their demands to destroy the geese. Even in our media, people widely claim that yes, nature should be cleansed of geese as soon as possible.

But is this really necessary? Are the accusations against the geese for total crop destruction even justified?

And why do such conflicts between farmers and migratory birds arise at all?

In reality, the situation is quite telling. And I propose we examine a few facts to understand it more clearly.

So: white-fronted geese appear in Finland during migrations. That is, they pass through the country twice a year. They winter in the coastal areas of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. From there they fly through the Baltics toward Finland and Russia. In our country, they can be seen migrating through the Leningrad region and Karelia.

During migration, geese stick to lakes and large rivers, where they rest and feed. For this, they choose open meadows, islands, and large shoals overgrown with grassy vegetation.

The white-fronted goose is a herbivorous bird. Geese feed on grasses, algae, and berries — they literally graze on vegetation.

Geese walk and run well on land, and contrary to the common belief that they are “waterfowl,” they are much less often seen on water. They usually come to water only to drink.

As of May 2025, there are about 200,000 white-fronted geese in Finland.

White-fronted geese in Finland are strictly protected — just as they are protected globally at the international level. Hunting them is regulated. Getting a permit for shooting is possible, but extremely difficult. The farmers’ association demands action against the geese but refers to the fact that the species is protected. Therefore, a reduction in the geese’s conservation status is necessary first. This is what the Finnish Federation of Agricultural Producers is trying to achieve from both the Finnish authorities and the EU.

“They’ll eat the entire harvest!”

“A gigantic number of white-fronted geese!”

“The damage to Finnish agriculture from white-fronted geese this year could reach record levels!”

And the more I read these loud slogans, the more I realize: it’s not about the geese, it’s about the money.

“Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Federation of Agricultural and Forestry Producers, Juha Marttila, demands that the state budget allocate enough funds to compensate for all the damage. The organization does not accept any cuts or delays in compensation payments.”

That’s the key issue!

This is exactly the situation with the geese in Finland now. Let me remind you of Mr. Chairman’s demands: 3 million euros for the year 2024.

Plus “definitely more” than 3 million euros for 2025.

But that, it seems, will depend on negotiations with the government.

The fact is that Finnish farmers are deeply dependent on government subsidies. And the story of “geese that devoured the harvest” is simply a way to extract more subsidies from their own government.

Just like in our country, where big business shamelessly demands mass clearance of wildlife species. In the summer of 2024, our Russian officials, acting in the interests of business, tried to push through a law allowing the shooting of animals for any approach to farmland. Fortunately, we managed to stop that madness!

And now the same thing is happening with the geese in Finland.

If geese were really the problem, they’d be installing decoys in the fields. Modern ones, of course — with motion sensors, sirens to scare them away, or ultrasonic devices, or recordings of frightened goose calls. I don’t know the exact details, but all that technology exists.

But no — the Finnish commercial association is interested in something else! They want:

First — 3 million euros or more annually as additional “goose compensation” on top of the existing government subsidies; and second — a reduction in the geese’s conservation status and permission for unrestricted shooting. I believe I understand correctly: once they receive permission to shoot geese, they will simply turn it into a paid hunting business.

That’s how it goes…

That’s how the geese stripped, robbed, and starved the Finns…

© PAVEL PASHKOV