Organic dairy farming

The first Danish organic food production legislation was introduced in 1987, and two years later, the now well-known Ø-logo was launched as a control mark.

You can read more about organic food and farming in Denmark on this webpage (the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark).

What is organic farming?

The Danish Ø-logo attests that the Danish state has checked and approved the farmer and the company to ensure that they comply with the organic rules, and that the food has been processed or packaged in Denmark. The Ø-logo guarantees that the food is organic and, today, is recognised by 98% of Danish consumers.

In 2010, the EU also introduced a logo for organic production, which is mandatory on all organic foods sold as organic in the EU. Both the green EU organic logo and the red Danish Ø-logo are based on EU organic regulations - specifically, Council regulation 834/2007 and Commission regulation 889/2008 - which outline the common organic rules in the EU.

The Danish dairies distributing organic milk, as well as organic cattle abattoirs, have also adopted industry recommendations that go beyond the European rules. Organic milk producers must follow both industry recommendations and European regulations to sell their milk and meat.

The organic rules for the milk producers are:

  • The cows must be fed 100% organic feed, and at least 60% of the daily feed must be grass or other fodder. Feed containing or produced from genetically modified organisms (GMO) is not allowed.
  • The cows must have access to grass fields for at least 6 daylight hours daily, from April 15 to November 1st, when the weather, soil and physical condition of the animals allow it.
  • The cow and its calf must stay together at least one day after birth. The calf must be fed with breast milk for at least 3 months after birth.
  • Calves under 3 months must not be sold out of the country.
  • Systematic killing of calves is forbidden (except on farms with ongoing Salmonella Dublin).
  • Cows must have access to grooming (cow bristles) in all stable sections and on the grass fields.
  • If a cow is treated with medicine, the milk and meat cannot be sold for twice as long as after the conventional cow's treatment. Only a veterinarian must prescribe the medication and treat the cow.
  • The use of human-critical antibiotics for cattle is banned.
  • The milk producers are not allowed to use synthetic fertilisers and pesticides on their fields. Instead, they must use natural fertiliser (such as slurry) as well as practise frequent crop rotations and use weed removal machines.