Denmark to repurpose significant agricultural land for green transition initiatives

In the coming years, significant portions of agricultural land in Denmark will be taken out of production as part of a major green transition in the sector. The Danish government and stakeholders involved in the Green Denmark agreement plan to repurpose these areas for planting new forests, converting low-lying lands into wetlands and meadows, or leaving fields completely fallow. This initiative aims to protect aquatic environments, particularly in Danish fjords facing oxygen depletion due to nitrogen runoff from farming.

The goal is to transform over 15% of Denmark’s agricultural land, an area larger than both Funen and Bornholm combined, according to the Ministry of Environment. Professor Uffe Jørgensen advocates that farmers should have the option to cultivate more grass on vulnerable lands, allowing for continued agricultural activity and job preservation in rural areas.

Farmer Lars Kristensen, the deputy chairman of the Fjordland agricultural association, supports this approach, emphasizing the labor demands of grass farming. He warns, however, that fallow fields could lead to job losses in rural communities and ultimately decrease the population in these areas. Kristensen believes that increasing grass cultivation could counteract such trends while providing viable agricultural output.

Grass is noted to be effective in nitrogen absorption and can serve as livestock feed, reducing the need for imported soy. However, EU regulations currently limit grass to a maximum of 4% in biogas production, a rule some, including farmers and officials, hope to amend to enhance rural employment and sustainability. The Danish Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries, Jacob Jensen, acknowledges grass’s potential to create jobs and improve environmental outcomes as part of this transition.