Danish farming leader warns new government risks undermining 2024 green tripartite agreement

The head of Denmark’s largest farming organisation has accused the newly elected government of eroding the 2024 green tripartite agreement, warning that recent policy shifts have rendered the original compromise unrecognisable.

In an interview with public broadcaster DR, Søren Søndergaard, chairman of Landbrug & Fødevarer (Agriculture & Food), said his organisation still supports the agreement’s core goals but no longer sees the initial terms being upheld. “We stand by the original deal, but the political adjustments made since 2024 mean we can no longer recognise it as valid,” he stated.

The criticism follows the government’s announcement of plans to establish a four-party working group tasked with restructuring Denmark’s pig production sector within six months. Should negotiations fail, the government has pledged to “take the necessary political steps to enforce the transition.” The new administration has also proposed a national pesticide ban, set to be introduced in parliament this year.

Søndergaard argued that these measures conflict with the locally driven approach agreed upon in 2024. “We’re now in a new reality where the government must change course if the local framework is to survive,” he said.

He further criticised the Ministry for the Green Tripartite for failing to allocate sufficient resources to support municipalities and landowners in implementing the agreement. “Instead of helping local authorities and opening up funding schemes, time has been wasted on new nitrogen regulations and pesticide bans,” he said.

As an example, Søndergaard cited his own farm, where local tripartite plans for wetland creation now clash with impending national rules. “With harvest season approaching, I don’t know whether to proceed with wetlands, convert to grassland, or stick to existing practices. The previous government left these questions unanswered,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Søndergaard denied that his statement was an attempt to deflect criticism from farmers struggling with the transition. He noted strong participation in existing schemes, with landowners demonstrating “tremendous goodwill” to engage in the agreement’s environmental measures.

The green tripartite agreement, signed in June 2024 by Landbrug & Fødevarer, the then-government coalition (Social Democrats, Social Liberals, and Moderates), and the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, aimed to balance agricultural production with environmental protection through locally tailored solutions.