Copenhagen, Denmark
June 26, 2012

The Danish agricultural Minister, Mette Gjerskov, has launched an Action Plan for organic production towards 2020. The plan put action behind the Danish government’s objective of doubling the Danish organic area by 2020

The Danish government is aiming at a green transition of Danish agriculture and considers organic production a cornerstone in this conversion.
“We want to speed up organic production to the benefit of both nature and drinking water. This is why I have launched an Action Plan that will pave the way to doubling the Danish organic area by 2020. We also need to develop more organic products, both for Danish consumers and for export,” says Minister Gjerskov.

Danish organic export has tripled since 2006.

The new Action Plan includes various initiatives aimed at farmers, processing and retail sector and consumers.

Public institutions as front-runners

Subsiding farmers and food industries is one way to support organic growth. Another way is to increase consumer demand, and the Danish Government has decided that public institutions are to be front-runners:

“Public institutions must be front-runners in buying organic. The Danish Government wants kindergartens, schools and hospitals to offer organic food to their users. Serving organic meals in public institutions is a cornerstone in our Action Plan, and we are ready to support local authorities in this,” says Mette Gjerskov, who emphasizes that the conversion should also focus on serving healthy meals and reducing food waste.
 

Website: http://www.fvm.dk

Published: June 26, 2012