Should Denmark Simply Abolish Agriculture?

New political demands on Danish agriculture would make production more expensive, reduce yields and potentially push indebted farms toward bankruptcy. That raises a provocative question: should Denmark simply shut the sector down?

The proposed measures include lower nitrogen emissions, reduced pig production, better animal welfare and bans on pesticides. Tighter fertiliser rules would probably cut crop yields, while giving pigs more space would reduce production per building. Pesticide restrictions could lower yields further, although their full impact remains unknown.

What is known, the article says, is that many families depend on farming and that Danish farms now carry around 265 billion kroner in debt. If farms collapse, society would ultimately have to pay the bill. A proposed ban on exporting piglets could deepen those financial pressures, while higher production costs could feed through to food prices.

The article suggests that Denmark could require only free-range pigs to be raised and sold domestically, and allow only free-range eggs. Otherwise, it argues, consumers could end up importing cheaper meat. It also dismisses employment as the main obstacle to closing agriculture, noting that few Danes work in primary farming and recalling that closing the mink industry cost 30 billion kroner. Ending agriculture, the article adds, would also remove problems involving drinking water and algae in the aquatic environment.

The piece then turns to school absenteeism. It agrees that adults must look beyond absence rates to causes such as bullying, isolation and family difficulties. Julemærkehjemene helps children rebuild confidence and reconnect with school communities, while a coordinator links the child, family, school, municipality and leisure life. A VIVE evaluation found that the intervention reduced school absence among these children by 31%.