Case study: Organics policies in Denmark

Denmark has the highest market share in the world of organic food and beverages and Danes are proud to have a shared vision to be the world leaders in developing sustainable organic production. Yet Denmark also experienced a boom in organic agricultural land conversion in the early 1990s, followed by a collapse in the late 1990s, when conversion was well ahead of consumption and many farmers switched back to conventional.

Learning from the past, Denmark has adopted a national growth plan for organics in 2020, with 39 initiatives funded by the government and a new target of doubling the organic land area, sales and export by 2030. Policy stability has been key to creating growth in the organic sector, with cleear goals, strategies and policies.

This case study offers an overview of organic policies in Denmark, which can offer an inspiration to other EU countries. The text complements the information provided in the EU CAP Network Thematic Group on Strengthening the position of farmers in the Organic Food Supply Chain. This non-exhaustive working document, which expresses the views of the TG members, aims to support policy-makers and all stakeholders involved in designing organic policies.

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