Ministry of Agriculture is Replaced by the Ministry of Nature and Animal Welfare in Denmark
Under the new government led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Denmark is embarking on a fundamental shift in its agricultural policy. The previously independent Ministry of Agriculture is to be dissolved and replaced by a Ministry for Nature and Animal Welfare. This pioneering initiative will shift the political focus much more towards the welfare of animals, nature conservation and environmental protection.
In the future, responsibility for agricultural legislative matters will be divided amongst several ministries. This is intended to bring issues of animal welfare and environmental sustainability more firmly to the forefront of political decision-making. Denmark has become the first EU Member State to no longer have a traditional Ministry of Agriculture and to specifically prioritise the protection of nature and animals at ministerial level.1
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Focus: Animal Welfare Reform in the Pig Farming Sector
A key component of the new policy is the comprehensive reform of Danish pig farming. As one of the world’s largest exporters of pork, Denmark has been caught between its economic importance and the growing demands for animal welfare, nature conservation and environmental protection for many years. With around five times as many pigs as people, the farming of this species has a particularly significant impact on the country and has recently been a major topic of political debate.
Specific measures are to be introduced for the farming of pigs, aimed at banning certain practices and improving the living conditions of pigs.2
Planned Measures:
- An end to extreme farming practices
- Phasing out routine tail docking by 2030
- Delaying the separation of piglets from their sows
- More space in the pens
- Mandatory provision of enrichment and rooting materials for pigs
- Phasing out particularly intensive farming methods by 2035
These measures are intended to bring about a lasting improvement in the welfare of millions of animals throughout Denmark.3
Political Framework and Implementation
It is not only the content of these reforms that is noteworthy, but also the political process behind them. A cross-party agreement on the future of pig farming is to be drawn up within six months. In doing so, the government is for the first time, setting a clear timeframe and formulating specific objectives for the restructuring and transitioning of one of the country’s most important agricultural sectors.4
Denmark is demonstrating that a fundamental overhaul of political structures is possible. Germany must follow this example and recognise that the current placement of animal welfare within the Ministry of Agriculture is incapable of meeting the needs of animals or the public’s expectations regarding animal welfare.
Sources
1 Statsministeriet (2026) Regeringen Mette Frederiksen III. Available at: c (Accessed: 04 Juni 2026).
2 Nielsen, M.L. und Bergoënd, A. (2026): Denmark becomes only EU country without farm minister. Euractiv, 3. Juni. Verfügbar unter: https://www.euractiv.com/news/denmark-becomes-only-eu-country-without-farm-minister/ (Zugriff: 04. Juni 2026).
3 Dyrenes Beskyttelse (2022): Regeringsgrundlag kan blive det gennembrud, grisene har skreget på. Verfügbar unter: https://www.dyrenesbeskyttelse.dk/artikler/regeringsgrundlag-kan-blive-det-gennembrud-grisene-har-skreget-paa (Zugriff: 04. Juni 2026)
4Food & Agribusiness (2026) Denmark’s pig industry facing radical reform. Available at: https://www.foodagribusiness.world/pigs/denmark-s-pig-industry-facing-radical-reform (Accessed: 04 Juni 2026).