MAA-akatemia renews its farm advisory service
Advice starts with listening to the farmer
BULLETIN – free for publication 5.10.2026
The Maa-akatemia cooperative, which specializes in innovative farming and organic farming, brings together its advisors into a joint advisory service.
The service, which will be launched in October 2026, will provide farmers with access to a full team of experts if needed, and a quick initial survey will lower the threshold for starting advice. Thanks to the grant from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, low-cost advice will also be available to farms where advice compensation is not available.
From individual advisors to a team
Farm advisory services have been the most important service of the co-operative since its inception. Until now, the cooperative's advisors have worked independently, each with their own clients. They have been united by their orientation towards innovative farming and organic farming, as well as the cooperative's shared mission.
From autumn 2026, operations will be unified and cooperation between advisors will be increased. The team consists of 14 advisors and experts, most of whom are advisors approved by the Finnish Food Authority. When the expertise of one advisor is not sufficient, a team of several experts can be assembled to develop the facility as needed.
The core of the service is organic farming, regenerative farming, agroecology and permaculture. The advice can cover topics such as soil health, crop planning, weed control, plant health, finances and investments, ownership changes or management. The team also has expertise in situation-aware grazing, no-dig farming, composting, direct sales, free-range chickens, permaculture and woody plants.
The key principle of the reform is listening. The path of advice is formed from the farm's own starting points: it can start with a single topical issue or expand into planning a long-term transition. For new clients, starting advice is made easier with a quick initial assessment, which determines what kind of help the farm needs.
Everything starts from the ground – including profitability
Improving soil fertility and diversifying crops reduces the need for external inputs and can improve farm performance, as supported by recent European research.
A study published in 2025 by the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) followed 78 pioneering farms in 14 countries practicing regenerative farming. The farms' yields, measured in kilocalories and protein, were on average only 2 percent lower than those of conventional control farms. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer was used 61 percent less and pesticides 75 percent less, and gross margins per hectare were on average 20 percent higher. ( EARA 2025 )
At the same time, interest in direct sales and diverse farms is growing. Many new or generational farmers want to build a farm complex where locality, diversity and natural solutions meet. The advice of the Land Academy is also intended for them, and you can contact them even when the farm is still in the planning stages.
“We do not offer patent solutions”
– Every farm is different, so advice always starts with listening. We first find out the farm's starting points and then what is right for that farm. When our advisors work together more closely, the farmer has access to the expertise of the entire team, says Antti Luomala, CEO of Maa-akatemia.
– We want to be of benefit to farmers. Even a big change starts with the first step, and that is why we make starting advice as easy as possible, Luomala continues.
Hanna, who has become the owner of a family farm in Lohjansaari, has been a client of Maa-akatemia's advisory services. According to her, the advice gave her concrete tools for building a business and the courage to make her own solutions.
– It was important to get sparring from people who also understood the possibilities of a small, diverse farm and did not view everything from the perspective of large-scale production, Hanna says.
This is how the consultation begins
Contact. The farmer calls or tells about his farm and needs on a short form . Filling out the form does not bind you to starting the consultation.
Situation assessment. In a short initial meeting, we will clarify the starting points of the situation and the most appropriate advice.
The path of advice. Advice progresses according to the needs of the farm, from a single question to long-term development.
Advice can be based on a free farm self-assessment . It provides immediate feedback on the farm's productivity, fields, farming practices and also the farmer's resources. The self-assessment can also be used as a long-term monitoring tool for farm development.
Advisory fees can be used to cover the costs of the advice, in which case the farmer will be required to pay VAT.
State-supported counseling
Thanks to the general subsidy from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Academy of Agriculture can offer advice at a low cost even to those for whom advice compensation is not possible. The deductible for subsidized advice is 25 euros per hour.
Supported counselling is specifically intended for:
for farms where no advisory compensation is available or it has already been used
for entrepreneurs who do not yet have their own farm but are planning to start farming.
There is limited availability of assisted advice. You can inquire about assisted advice using the same contact form as other advice. The prerequisite is that the company is not in restructuring, liquidation or insolvent.
More information for the media
Antti Luomala, CEO
Maa-akatemia Cooperative 0400 234 372 antti.luomala@maa-akatemia.fi
Advisory service and advisors: maa-akatemia.fi/maatilaneuvonta
Maa-akatemia is a community of farmers and experts that promotes farming that improves the growth condition of the land, diversifies and is ecological. The nationwide cooperative offers farm advice, training, webinars and peer groups, and implements farmer-oriented development and experimental projects. The core of its activities are organic farming, regenerative farming, agroecology and permaculture. The cooperative has 77 members at the time of publication.
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