The aim of this study was to produce current scientific data and 100-year scenarios on concentrations, balances and risks in the Finnish agroecosystems. Total concentrations of cadmium in 338 cultivated soils were determined by an international standard method. Concentrations of cadmium in soil water of 16 soil samples were measured from the soil extracts saturated with water. With an aid of an algorithm derived from the 16 measurements soil water concentrations of cadmium in the 338 samples was estimated. Results were presented by soil type groups and by regions. We carried out balance calculations and risk assessments of three cadmium concentration levels of phosphorus (P) fertilisers by using international models. The levels tested were as follows: 2.5 mg/kg P, the present cadmium concentration in Finnish P-fertilisers; 50 mg/kg P, a maximum allowable cadmium concentration in the P-fertilisers in Finland; and 138 mg/kg P, an average cadmium concentration in the P-fertilisers in Europe. Three crops, wheat, potato and sugar beet, were used in the tests. Phosphorus fertilisers accounted for 10-95% of the total cadmium input to the cultivated soils. At the existing cadmium level of the domestic fertilisers, cadmium inputs and outputs seemed to be balanced. If the cadmium level reached the Finnish limit value for P-fertilisers, then after 100 years, the cadmium concentrations in soils and soil waters would increase by 10-50% and in crops by 5-15%. If the P-fertilisers of typical European cadmium level were used in Finland, increases in soils and soil waters would be 50-150% and in crops 20-40% during the same period. A change in the crop cadmium would be the largest in wheat and the least in sugar beet. The biggest rise in the soil and soil water cadmium would occur in the potato cultivation and the smallest one in the sugar beet cultivation. It is obvious that the use of the P-fertilisers with the maximum allowable cadmium content in Finland would have harmful effects on the quality of soils, waters and crops and would increase health and environmental risks. Therefore it would be better to use the low-cadmium P- fertilisers in order to maintain safety of foodstuffs, a clean environment and sustainable development.