Social and environmental consequences of organic farming

Organic farming is growing in Denmark because of the increasing demand for organic foods. The Action Plan of 1995 predicted an increase in organic farming from 1 - 2% of the total agricultural area to about 7% in the year 2000. Similarly the share of organic food on the market is expected to increase to 15 - 20%.

The interest in organic foods is mainly due to the supposed positive effects of organic farming on wildlife and the environment. On the other hand there are worries about its negative socio-economic effects on the bal-ance of payments and employment due to a decrease in total production. No data, methods or individual analyses exist that bring together these different ideas in a systematic way.

The primary objective of this project is to produce scientifically qualified assessments to be used by decision-makers for judging the impact of future developments in organic farming in Denmark in the dimensions of i) its share of national agricultural production, ii) the structure of converted farms with regard to production mix and farm land characteristics, and iii) the strength of production regulations. The precise objectives are:

• To describe experiences of developing strategic scenarios and the results of these
  
  
• To demonstrate the possible impacts of different tillage processes on wildlife and the environment for a local area of agricultural land, by describing the changes in nitrogen leaching and the suitability of the land as a habitat for plants and animals
  
  
• To assess the demand for, and price sensitivity of, organic foods with a view to introduce a modelling system for the consumption of these products
  
  
• To discuss and analyse development processes with regard to the transformation to organic farming, the regulation of organic farming, and the sensitivity of the ecological sector to considerable changes in the market
  
  

Summary
Publications

Project title
I.8 Social and environmental consequences of different strategies for the development and spread of organic farming systems

Project leader
Johannes Michelsen, University of Southern Denmark
Niels Bohrsvej 9, DK 6700 Esbjerg
Tel: +45 7914 1111, Fax: +45 7914 1199
E-mail: jm@suc.suc.dk

Project participants
Henning P. Jørgensen and Birgit Krongaard, South Jutland University Centre
Mette Wier, Berit Hasler, Peter Odderskær and Niels Elmegaard, National Environmental Research
Niels Halberg, Tove Heidmann, Tommy Dalgaard and Lisbeth Mogensen, Danish Institute of Agricultural Science
Vibeke Langer, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University