Grass is effective in removing nitrogen - but contributes very little to an agreement on a greener Denmark.

Grass is much cheaper to plant than forests.

Grass is really effective in absorbing nutrients, resulting in less nutrient release into the Danish fjords and sound.

However, grass farming is not immediately highlighted in the agreement for a Green Denmark (), which the government and the green coalition partners signed in June.

And that's a mistake, says Professor Uffe Jørgensen from the Institute of Agroecology - Climate and Water at Aarhus University.

- We simply lack this tool in the shovel when it comes to the green coalition. And it's frustrating, he says.

He has contributed to a report () on how grass cultivation can reduce nitrogen leaching from agriculture into Limfjorden. The report shows that it is possible to meet water quality requirements in Limfjorden by cultivating more biomass, such as grass or reeds.

Professor Uffe Jørgensen explains the advantage of grass:

The proposals from the government and the green coalition partners focus mainly on planting new forests, restoring meadows and marshes on so-called low-lying soils or flooding farmland. This means that farmers cannot farm the land.

More than 15 percent of Danish agricultural land must be converted, and 40 billion kroner has been set aside for this in the agreement.

But according to Professor Uffe Jørgensen from Aarhus University, it is much better and cheaper to plant grass on the farmland where the risk of nitrogen leaching is greatest. For example, near Limfjorden.

> It can be that there need to be some small subsidies to get it started,

> but it will be peanuts in comparison to the expensive costs of buying land for forestry and wetland construction,

> Uffe Jørgensen, professor, Aarhus University

- Forests take some years to become established and have their full effect on nitrogen leaching. Grass is a quicker solution, where we get this reduction in nitrogen leaching within a few years, he explains.

At the same time, farmers can grow grass for animal feed and keep the areas in production - and thus preserve jobs in agriculture.

- It's something that runs almost purely from a farming perspective. There may be some small subsidies to get it started, but it will be peanuts in comparison to the expensive costs of buying land for forestry and wetland construction, says Uffe Jørgensen.

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The Green Coalition

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On June 24, 2024, an agreement was made between the government and the other participants in the Green Coalition on the reorganization and transformation of Denmark's areas and Danish agriculture.

The participants in the Green Coalition are the agricultural organization Landbrug & Fødevarer, the Danish Nature Protection Association, the Food and Agriculture Union NNF, Danish Metal, Danish Industry and the Municipalities' Association.

The parties have decided, among other things, to convert 390,000 hectares of agricultural land to forest and nature. This is more than 15 percent of the total agricultural land in Denmark - and corresponds to an area the size of Fyn and Bornholm combined.

Source: Ministry of the Environment

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Farmer ready for more grass

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Professor Uffe Jørgensen and his research colleagues have calculated that, for example, Limfjorden could meet the EU's requirements for good water quality if a third to a quarter of the agricultural land around the fjord was converted to sustainable grass.

This would also apply to the land of farmer Lars Kristensen.

Farmer Lars Kristensen would rather plant grass than let the land become fallow. (Photo: © Michael Lyck Poulsen - DR)

And he is ready for more grass.

- With the milieu requirements in the fjords, we know that there will be some reduction requirements and some goals for nitrogen leaching. We see that grass can contribute to solving this, he says.

Lars Kristensen is also concerned about the potential loss of jobs in agriculture if agricultural land becomes fallow.

- Brak is so set dead soil. It requires no human intervention, and therefore no jobs. If a large area is to be braklaid, it will also make areas dead for habitation and settlement, says Lars Kristensen.

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Grass can be part of political negotiations

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Landbrugspolitical senior advisor Thyge Nygaard from the Danish Nature Protection Association followed the negotiations on a Greener Denmark closely, but was not himself present at the table.

He also believes that grass should play a larger role in the toolbox to make the most of the money.

- Grass will be a relatively cheap tool. It is quick to implement and can make the money go further, says Thyge Nygaard.

He hopes that grass farming will be included in the political negotiations, which are to be initiated to put the agreement into action.

- If there are areas where we do not need to use the expensive solution of buying land free of farming, but can maintain some form of agricultural production, we should support that. We see that the state funds are prioritized where they contribute most to biodiversity, says Thyge Nygaard.

The agricultural organization Landbrug & Fødevarer has been present at the table when the agreement for a Greener Denmark was made.

In response to the question of why grass is hardly mentioned in the agreement, climate director at Landbrug & Fødevarer, Niels Peter Nørring, wrote in an email to DR:

'Grass as a crop is an important tool in the green transformation, and the fact that it is not directly mentioned in the green agreement does not mean that grass cultivation as a crop is not important.

For example, protein production from grass is already being implemented broadly in agriculture.

There is therefore a focus on grass cultivation, and there will certainly be an increased focus on this in the coming years.'

Senior advisor at the think tank Concito, Tavs Nyord, agrees. He expects farmers - especially in Jutland - to be met with demands to switch to more grass cultivation.

It is his assessment that the conversion to nature and forestry will go too slowly. Therefore, grass cultivation and other crops that are less problematic for water quality will be necessary.

- I have a hard time seeing how we can reach that in the degree required without using this tool as well, says Tavs Nyord.

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