Denmark

Country background:

Denmark is a leading agricultural country within the European Union. It is not too heavy populated and has a favorable temperate climate and a lot of good agricultural land although the total area is not bigger than one of the smaller states in USA.

Agricultural exports are important to Denmark with pork as the dominating item. Dairy is also exported and Denmark is together with Netherlands and Ireland the three surplus countries in Western Europe.

Denmark has been leading the structural development in dairy farming in EU. The average farm size is about 100 cows and the average yield is getting close to 9.000kg.

The production is export-driven and investments in growth are forecasted particularly after the expected abolition of production quotas within the European Union.

Denmark has no fossil fuels, lack hydro power and has no nuclear power plants. It has therefore been very natural to develop wind generators, which today produce a considerable portion of Danish electric power, and heating from agricultural byproducts like straw.

With its heavy dependence on export Denmark has a pragmatic view on animal welfare and environment protection. There are laws and regulations and they are accepted and understood by the majority of farmers as well as citizens.

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On the Danish island Samsø the two dairy farmers, Jørgen Tranberg and Erik Koch Andersen, have been very successful implementing sustainable solutions. Thanks to them and all the other islanders they now produce more energy than they consume.

Read the whole interview with E.K. Andersen and J Tranberg, Samsø, Denmark