Denmark looks to dodge fake meat food fights and farm fund scrap

The Danish presidency will steer clear of culture wars over fake meat and avoid a major confrontation on the bloc's next seven-year budget, Agriculture Minister Jacob Jensen told Euractiv in an interview.  

Denmark will take over from Poland next week at a critical moment, with the Commission set to unveil its proposal for the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in mid-July. Jensen is one of the few agriculture ministers not pressing the EU executive on the size or the structure of the future budget, and said it will stay that way. 

Whether they remain “frugal” or not, the Danes want to be “pragmatic” and stay out of contentious debates around spending during their upcoming presidency of the EU Council – especially in the agricultural sphere.

“I’m not so concerned about the amount; I’m more focused on the content,” he told Euractiv during the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg.  

Instead, Jensen said he wants to promote certain “political goals” and see the CAP further “simplified” in its upcoming reform. “We need to do more, and we need to do it fast,” he added.  

The minister dismissed accusations that the Commission is cutting more environmental ambition than red tape, though he acknowledged growing concerns over food-related narratives in Brussels and beyond. 

He conceded that the EU is increasingly talking less about going green amid a tense geopolitical context. “The thinking is first to get enough food for security reasons”.

For Denmark – known for its focus on climate policies – boosting food production at the expense of environmental goals is a no-go. "We cannot just say 'forget about that'," Jensen stressed.

He added that emerging biotechnologies in farming, such as new genomic techniques,  could help bridge the gap between food security and sustainability.

Plant-based diets gain traction in the EU but culture and economy still shape food choices

EU member states are increasingly integrating climate change concerns into their dietary guidelines, but economic and cultural differences among countries continue to stand in the way of an EU-wide consensus on sustainable and healthy diets. 

Fight over plant-based food 

This week’s Council featured yet another debate about the right place – or name – of plant-based foods in the EU, with most ministers calling for a ban on the use of traditional meat names for vegetarian alternatives. 

Jensen refrained from speaking during the discussion. “I’m pragmatic (...) I would like to give the choice for farmers and consumers to produce and buy what they want,” he said.  

As one of the world’s largest pork exporters, Denmark knows the economic value of meat. But it also sees promise in the market for plant-based proteins.

“[Farmers] will produce whatever will make a buck for them,” he said, adding that he would like to see Denmark’s strategy for plant-based foods mirrored at EU level.  

In its dietary guidelines, dating back to 2021, the Danish government encouraged citizens to cut back on meat consumption. Jensen knows the move was bold and does not expect others to follow suit.  

“I have huge respect for member states’ cultural and historical background, so I will not start a discussion on this,” he concluded.  

Danish carbon tax on agriculture, a model for the rest of Europe or a splendid one-off?

The question of how to reduce emissions from agriculture remains very much open, and the clock is ticking for the EU to become carbon neutral by 2050.

 (adm, aw, jp)