LOCALISATION AND CONCENTRATION OF ORGANIC FARMING IN THE 1990s – THE DANISH CASE

Abstract

This paper explores the localisation of organic farms in Denmark for the three years 1994, 1997 and 2001, on a county and parish level. Spatial concentration is found in counties with a high share of milk producers, but also in the counties, which contain the two largest urban centres. General regional specialisation of the agricultural sector in Denmark contributes to the explanation of concentration patterns of organic conversion, but other factors such as a regional favourable policy climate and support also appear to play a role. Major variations in concentration within regions are found, suggesting that local factors play an important role for the explanation of spatial patterns of organic conversion and diffusion.

Technical efficiency of organic pasture farming in Germany: The role of location economics and of specific knowledge

“…Studies in Germany 7 and Wales 25,26 confirm that neighboring organic farmers are the main source of information for converting and converted organic farms. Where specialized extension services exist, they were found to have a positive impact on organic conversion rates 28 . The importance of information exchange between farmers is probably greater for organic than for conventional farming, because until recently there were relatively few specialized extension and education/training services for organic farmers.…”

Localisation de l’agriculture biologique et accès aux marches

“…Ils montrent également que la compréhension des facteurs favorisant la formation de clusters AB, ainsi que la structure et la dynamique de ces clusters, renvoient à des spécificités régionales dans la structure de la production agricole et des filières. D'autres travaux ont également montré l'impact positif de la proximité des centres urbains, que ce soit au Danemark (Frederiksen et Langer, 2004) ou en Norvège (Koesling et al, 2008). En Allemagne, ceci n'a pas été vérifié par Schmidtner et al (2012), la variable « Distance aux centres des agglomérations » n'ayant pas d'impact significatif dans quasiment tous les modèles testés par ces auteurs.…”

Socio-cultural processes behind the differential distribution of organic farming in Denmark: a case study

“…From 1994 to 1996 was the demand-driven period, created mainly by an increase in demand through support from a large retail chain, followed by premium prices offered by a major Danish dairy (ibid.). Frederiksen and Langer (2004) highlighted the special subsidies for crop and pig production along with structural funds as new policy-drivers for conversion in the period 1997-1998. The former subsidies were applicable nationally but as mentioned above, the general regional specialization added a geographical specificity to these conversion processes.…”

“…Also, some European structural development funds functioned as regional localization parameters by favoring regions with dairy production, and the high prices offered for organic milk in the mid-1990s pulled in the same direction (Kristensen, 1998;Michelsen et al, 2001). Furthermore, Frederiksen and Langer (2004) found that the rate of conversion tended to be linked to the prior existence of organic farms -referred to as the ''neighbor effect'' 1 -but the authors could not explain the large variations in concentration in more detail. Other Danish case studies have also identified local socio-cultural issues, such as the attitudes of extension services, agricultural advisors, and neighbors, along with the presence of ''champion farmers'' as factors influencing conversion rates 2 (Noe, 2000;Oldrup, 2000;Hansen, 2003).…”

“…Although much knowledge has been acquired concerning the processes involved in the conversion from conventional to organic agriculture in various regions of the world (mainly Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America), spatial influences on the conversion drivers and constraints at a regional level remain fairly poorly understood (see, however, studies on local factors by Cudjoe and Rees, 1992;Beauchesne and Bryant, 1999;Ilbery et al, 1999;Noe, 2000;Oldrup, 2000;Nyblom et al, 2003;Frederiksen and Langer, 2004). In Denmark, for example, a national investigation on the driving forces behind the localization and spatial development of organic farming revealed that, although organic farms existed throughout Denmark, certain regions or districts harbored high concentrations while others only had very few or no organic farms at all, despite the fact that external conditions appeared alike (DARCOF, n.d.).…”