Nature group attacks farming lobby over nitrogen deal

Denmark’s Society for Nature Conservation has launched a sharp attack on the farming organisation Landbrug & Fødevarer as Parliament prepares to give final approval to stricter nitrogen regulations next week, DR reports.

The regulations are part of the green tripartite agreement, which aims in part to improve Denmark’s water environment. Landbrug & Fødevarer is one of the parties to the agreement.

“It is completely irresponsible in relation to our water environment, and very strange that Landbrug & Fødevarer, as a party to the green tripartite agreement, is now trying to undermine the agreement,” Lars Midtiby, director of the Society for Nature Conservation, said.

The agreement clearly states that field-level regulation will be introduced from 2027, Midtiby said.

Landbrug & Fødevarer argues that the scientific basis for the new nitrogen regulations is “entirely inadequate”. The organisation also criticises plans to adjust the system only after the legislation has been passed by Parliament.

The dispute has created significant uncertainty among farmers, many of whom fear for their livelihoods. Leading researchers have pointed to agriculture as responsible for 70 per cent of nitrogen emissions, while oxygen depletion in Danish marine environments has reached record levels in recent years.

There are also signs of growing opposition in the Danish Parliament. Venstre MP Søren Gade recently said he would vote against his party’s position, and fellow Venstre MP Amanda Heitman announced on Friday that she would also vote against the bill.

Midtiby warned against changing the nitrogen regulations at the last minute.

“If we want to bring life back to our fjords and coastal areas, there is no way around reducing the nitrogen burden very quickly. It is very important that this is passed now,” he said.

He acknowledged that the changes would be difficult for farmers, but pointed to more than one billion kroner in compensation.

“Our marine environment is in such a poor state. There are fish deaths, algal mats and oxygen depletion. The overwhelmingly dominant cause is the excessive emissions from agriculture. There is no way around that,” Midtiby said.

Farming group rejects criticism

Landbrug & Fødevarer vice-president Martin Hjort Jensen rejected the criticism. He said the government and the other parties to the agreement were deliberately making food production in Denmark more expensive and more difficult.

“That is unfortunate and the completely wrong direction to take at a time when we want to transform production in Denmark,” he said.

Hjort Jensen said the lack of clarity about the consequences of the nitrogen regulations was not merely a technical issue for farmers. He maintained that the scientific basis was not in order and that farmers did not know what they were committing to.

“If a farmer calls the authorities right now to find out what his nitrogen quota is, the authorities would not be able to answer, because they do not have the final nitrogen maps,” he said.

Vegetable growers raise concerns

Criticism has also come from an unexpected group: conventional and organic vegetable growers. They fear the new regulations will force them to buy more land and significantly increase their production costs.

The Society for Nature Conservation acknowledged that a solution may be needed for the growers.

“I believe there is a real challenge concerning vegetable producers. The minister has also said that this is being examined, and we support that,” Midtiby said.

He said any solution must still ensure an overall reduction in nitrogen emissions so that the marine environment can recover.

Minister for Nature and Animal Welfare Christian Rabjerg Madsen has so far rejected exempting vegetable growers from the nitrogen regulations, but has said he hopes to establish more lenient rules for them.

Landbrug & Fødevarer has called a large public meeting in Odense on Monday. The organisation says more than 3,000 people have already registered.