Started as a bottom-up strategy

As a respond to the negative impacts from modern, industrialized food production, and as an effort for reconciliation, a new entrepreneurial social movement gave birth to non-toxic, small-scale, and eco-systemic agricultural production practice in the 1970s. This was developed and promoted by farmer organisa¬tions, consumer organisations, environmentalists and some labour unions. The development of what would turn into the phrase of organic agriculture was started as a bottom-up strategy by the pragmatic counter-culture in the 70´s and 80´s inspired by the bio-dynamic farming traditions. They experimented within farming principles, excluding pesticides and commercial fertilisers, established new distribution markets, focussed on energy savings, and nutrition circles. The experiments were transferred into production principles and methods guidelines over a decade. Thus organic farming became a concrete production and market respond to criticism of the various impacts on the conventional production regimes.

First in defining the term "organic agriculture"

Denmark was the first country in Europe to introduce an act on organic farming in 1987. It was the organic farmer association LØJ, founded in 1981, who in co-operation with the old organisation of Family Farmers influenced the form of the act. The act was first in defining the term "organic agriculture", the development of production guidelines and a control and certification system. The manufacturing guidelines for the food processing industry, like bakeries, were quite imprecise, though some principles on carefulness were specified. EU enacted a directive about rules of growing organic crops, free marketing of organic vegetal products in 1991, and since 2000, EU-legislation has taken over the definition of principles. An Eco-label on organic goods was enacted in 1989, which helped the creation of a state-authorized market.

Growing consumer demand

The organic agricultural act and the growing consumer demand for organic products has been an important element for organic agriculture as well as for organic food sales. The regulation has normalised the organic market in generating state authorised controlling and labelling, in stating conditions for marketing "organic" food. Thereby confidence has grown to the organic goods from the consumers. Besides the control and certification, a subvention scheme from 1993 has been quite influential in enhancing the organic cultivated acres and a growing number of organic farmers. Since the first organic legislation was introduced in Denmark in 1987, an Organic Foods Council with representatives from a wide range of producers and users has provided a monitoring and advisory function for the Minister in matters concerning organic food production.

We offer organic and biodynamic farming tours

We have a lot to offer for visits, taste and talk about experiences, rules, institutions, markets, standards, consumer trends etc.! 
 

Day 1: Area: Policy and public

Morning:

Meeting with representatives from Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries about the Danish Ø-label, the national eco-label for organic food. Meeting with experts - prof.s Jesper Holm and Bente Kjærgaard, Roskilde University - on history, knowledge, institutions and policy behind the successful organic trade. Place: Roskilde University.

Afternoon:

Meeting with representatives from Roskilde Municipality and leader of a Public School on serving organic food for school children. What was the background, how is it economic feasible, are there any protests, how is it handled in scools and how do pupils and parents relate to it? We smell, eat and prepare organic dishes at one of their public schools, which prepare and serve organic lunch for the school pupils. Place: Lynggårdsskolen in Roskilde. Visit at Frydenlund, outside Roskilde, a company of food processing, dish making, packaging and distributing school dishes. An organic food preparing, packaging and delivery company, which serves a number of schools and kindergardens with organic foodpackages.

Day 2: Farming Organizations and markets

Morning:	Meeting with Michael Svane, the organic section from the Danish Farmers Association and the NGO: Organic Denmark about organic farming, consuming and politics developments in Denmark. Place: Hesselbjerggaard organic farm, Roskilde
Afternoon:	Walking around visit on the organic farm, Hesselbjerggaard, Roskilde which has a number of areas to experience: renewable energy supply, local root zone waste water treatment, organic fruits, organic Dexter cattle and sheep, scenic nature. Visits to the local micro brewery Herslev Bryghus, producing organic beer.

Day 3: Local organic clusters

Morning:

Visits to the area of Ringsted Eco-District where organic farmers and producers of vary different size and kind operate in partly cooperation. Krogagergård an organic farm with a variety of activities, products, animals and places to visit. Visit to Mannerup Møllegaard, an organic farm with milk cattle and fodder crop fields. Visit to the organic dairy Osted Mejeri, where they distribute organic milk, cheese and butter for the local organic milk farmers. Here the production, the packing of the products, the distribution and the policies necessary is being presented. Afterwards it will be possible to taste and buy their products.

Afternoon:

Visit to Mineslund, Asnæs near Kalundborg. The two farms with a large cattle stock run an organic butchery, produce a selection of meat products, which they sell in their own shop in a very picturesque scenery. They also deliver meat to private costumers all over Zealand. The old school has been turned into a café where You can enjoy a light snack. Visit at “Randis og Jespers grise” an organic pig farm – one of Zealands few outdoor organic pig area. Walk around the fields and see the marvelous playing and caring among pigs in outdoor life.

Day 4: From stable to table – take part! Pratical visits

All day:

Knuthenlund is the largest transition from traditional to organic farming in Denmark, an estate which cover an area of 1000 HA. At the estate it is possible to see organic farming with animals, fields, hunting and dairy production. At the dairy they produce cheese, yoghurt and ice-cream from goat- and sheep milk. It is necessary to spend some time there in order to grasp the changes and the beauty of this organic paradise, and to participate in preparing dairy products. Tour in the scenic area. Visit to the organic apple farm Kernegaarden on the island Fejø, also brewing a high quality cider.