Danish defence minister: Our service personnel deserve organic

Denmark’s Ministry of Defence is starting a pilot project to increase the use of organic products in the armed forces’ canteens.

“About 1.1 million meals are served at the armed forces’ canteens each year,” says minister of defence Nicolai Wammen. “It makes a difference when we have a demand for organic and healthy food. I am therefore pleased that we are raising the organic bar quite a lot through this new action plan.”

The developments form part of a major new action plan for organic announced by the Danish Government in January.

As part of the plan, Denmark’s Ministry of the Environment is aiming to simplify organic production and the public procurement process.

“We must make it easier to become an organic producer,” says minister of the environment Kirsten Brosbøl. “In a new initiative we will introduce longer contract periods for private farmers and strengthen support for converting land to organic.”

The Danish Government recognizes that developing knowledge about sustainability starts at schools says organics will be “in focus in many courses at various educational levels”. It says Denmark’s Ministry of Education will play major contributory role in the new national plan for organic.”