Agriculture & Food

What Agriculture & Food does

Agriculture & Food (agricultureandfood.co.uk) is the English-language international communications platform of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council (Landbrug og Fødevarer F.M.B.A.), a cooperative trade association headquartered at Axelborg, Copenhagen V, Denmark (CVR no. 25529529). The organization represents Danish farmers, feed companies, and food businesses, with its core remit focused on the Danish pig industry. It operates multi-language sites (English .co.uk, German, Swedish) to serve international audiences, and is led by CEO Merete Juhl (appointed August 2022) with Søren Søndergaard as Chairman.

The organization's core product suite centers on industry-wide certification and standards systems: the DANISH Product Standard (covering food safety, animal welfare, responsible soya sourcing, and sustainability, recognized by Germany's QS scheme); the SPF (Specific Pathogen Free) system administered by SPF-Sund for declaring and monitoring herd health status; the DANISH Transport Standard for live animal logistics; and the ESGreen Tool for on-farm carbon footprint calculation. Supporting offerings include a Benchmark service comparing EU countries on welfare, food safety, sustainability, and quality assurance; a Statistics Dashboard with industry data from 2012; weekly Market Reports; monthly newsletters; and downloadable Publications. Knowledge and R&D are delivered through SEGES Innovation (the in-house knowledge center for pig production) and partnerships with the Danish Technological Institute, Danish Biogas Association, and EU consortia (WelFarmers). Pilot-stage work includes enzymatic hydrolysis for protein extraction from animal by-products (75–76% protein yield).

The business model is a non-profit trade association funded by membership dues and the Pig Levy Fund (Svineafgiftsfonden), with revenue streams including subscription-style membership and advisory fees, professional services revenue from certification (DANISH Product Standard), and industry levy–funded research and development. Go-to-market is hybrid: direct member engagement (newsletter, publications, Pig Congress Herning, Sofari/Open Farm Day reaching 60,000–100,000 visitors annually, and benchmark reports) combined with distribution-led international reach via nearly 1.9 million tonnes of pigmeat, live animals, by-products, and processed products exported each year to Germany, China, the UK, Poland, the Philippines, and Sweden. Primary customer segments are Danish pig producers and feed companies (members), international buyers of Danish pork products, and EU/international policy and standards bodies.

Name

Agriculture & Food

Legal name

Danish Agriculture & Food Council F.M.B.A.

Website

https://agricultureandfood.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

English-language international platform of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, a cooperative trade association representing Danish farmers and food businesses, primarily promoting the Danish pig industry through certification standards, biosecurity systems, benchmarking, market reports, and advisory services to producers and global buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Trade Association Services

NAICS

All Other Animal Production (11299)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF (AFALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm & Primary Production Audits (GAP, Aquaculture, Livestock) (AFALABAD), Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) & Food Safety Regulatory Cooperation (BPADANAF), Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Livestock Management (EDAOAOAD)

Keywords

• Pig industry trade association
• Agricultural certification standards
• Food safety compliance
• Climate-efficient pig farming
• Meat export promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen V

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership and Industry Representation: The Danish Agriculture & Food Council handles professional interests of Danish farmers and feed companies, providing services including member services, advisory, financial and legal assistance.
2. Pig Meat and By-product Exports: Denmark exports nearly 1.9 million tonnes of pigmeat, live animals, by-products and processed products annually. DanePork slaughters around 40,000 pigs weekly.
3. Certification and Standards Services: DANISH Product Standard certification for pig producers, benchmark services, counselling and publications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Danish Agriculture & Food Council (Agriculture & Food) is a trade association representing Danish farmers and food businesses, primarily focused on the pig production sector. It delivers certification standards (DANISH Product Standard, SPF System, DANISH Transport Standard), benchmarking, market reports, statistics, publications, and advisory services to support food safety, animal welfare, climate efficiency, and export market access. It also facilitates Danish pig meat exports to international markets through its member network.

Product overview

Agriculture & Food (Danish Agriculture & Food Council) operates as an industry organization offering a portfolio of information services, certification standards, and digital tools for the Danish pig industry. The core offerings include the DANISH Product Standard (certification for pig farms), SPF System (health monitoring), and DANISH Transport Standard. Supporting services include a Benchmark tool for comparing EU animal welfare and food safety practices, Statistics dashboard with industry data from 2012, Market Reports (weekly global pig market analysis), Publications, Newsletter, and Counselling services. The ESGreen Tool provides digital carbon footprint calculation for farms. These products serve pig producers, industry stakeholders, and international partners seeking information on Danish agricultural practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Benchmark for Pig Production Benchmarking service that allows comparison of how EU countries work with animal welfare, food safety, sustainability, and quality assurance in pig production. Targets Danish pig producers and policy stakeholders.
• Statistics Dashboard Statistical overview of the Danish pig industry covering production figures, exports, and environmental metrics from 2012 to date. Provides data-driven insight for members, analysts, and international stakeholders.
• Market Reports Weekly market reports on the global pig market providing analysis of international trade, pricing trends, and export performance. Used by producers, exporters, and international buyers.
• Monthly Newsletter (Pig Industry Matters) Monthly newsletter providing updates on developments in the Danish pig industry covering food safety, climate efficiency, sustainability, animal welfare, and new publications. Targeted at Danish producers and international stakeholders.
• Publications Downloadable publications including annual reports, research findings, and industry guidelines on pig production and agriculture. Targets members, researchers, and international industry stakeholders.
• Counselling and Dialogue Advisory and consulting services for pig producers covering best practices, regulatory compliance, and operational guidance. Targeted at Danish pig producers and food businesses.
• SPF System (Specific Pathogen Free) Health status declaration and monitoring system administered by SPF-Sund that documents and manages disease risks between pig herds, including requirements for health declarations, sampling, transport, and disease monitoring. Used by Danish pig producers and certified exporters.
• DANISH Transport Standard Industry-wide standard for transport of live animals covering transporters, exporters, collection points, and cleaning/disinfection facilities with requirements for vehicle cleaning, documentation, and biosecurity. Used by Danish pig transport operators and exporters.
• DANISH Product Standard Comprehensive certification standard for pig farms that includes requirements for responsible soya sourcing, food safety, animal welfare, and quality assurance. Recognised by the German QS scheme and aligned with FEFAC Responsible Soya Sourcing Guidelines. Customers are Danish pig producers and international buyers.
• ESGreen Tool Digital climate calculation tool designed to calculate the carbon footprint of farms to support farmers' future climate choices and sustainability planning. Targeted at Danish farmers for climate decision-making.

Quantifiable outcome

• Antibiotic consumption reduced by approximately 30% per pig between 2010 and 2020
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• WelFarmers ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024EU Horizon Europe funded project with 18 partners across 8 countries (Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain) focused on pig welfare. Addresses loose-housed sows, intact tails, painless castration, and pen design.
• SEGES InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEGES Innovation is the Danish Agriculture & Food Council's knowledge centre for pig production. They conduct research, provide climate tools (ESGreen Tool), manage the SPF system certification body oversight, and develop innovations for sustainable pig production including emissions reduction technologies.
• Danish Biogas AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Danish Biogas Association represents the biogas sector, with biogas accounting for 40% of Denmark's total gas consumption. Agricultural plants processing livestock manure account for over 90% of Denmark's biogas production.
• Danish Technological InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted pilot study on protein extraction from animal by-products through enzymatic hydrolysis, funded by Svineafgiftsfonden (Pig Levy Fund). Research demonstrated 75-76% protein yield from pig blood, kidneys, spleen, and lungs.
• SPF-SundcoreTechnology or IntegrationAdministers the SPF (Specific Pathogen Free) system for declaring and monitoring the health status of Danish pig herds, providing documentation and management of disease risks between herds.
• Danish CrowncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDenmark's largest slaughterhouse operator (cooperative group). Sends all suitable production waste for energy recovery to biogas plants in Denmark and Germany.
• DanePorkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSlaughters around 40,000 pigs every week. Waste from the slaughterhouse is transported to biogas facilities for renewable energy production.
• Sustainable Bio Solutions (SBS Kliplev)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocated in Aabenraa, operates one of the world's largest biogas plants, processing around 980,000 tonnes of biomass annually, producing 41 million cubic metres of methane. Exports biogas to Germany and other European countries.
• UCOL (Uniform Conditions for Operating Rules for Livestock)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean working group that ensures uniform operating rules for livestock production across the EU. UCOL team visited Denmark to learn about loose-housed sow production and emissions reduction systems.
• FEFAC (European Feed Manufacturers Federation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDANISH Product Standard requirements for responsible soya sourcing are based on FEFAC Responsible Soya Sourcing Guidelines, ensuring compliance with EU deforestation regulations.
• German QS SchememinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe responsible soya requirements in the DANISH scheme are recognised by the German QS scheme, ensuring consistency between schemes and control systems across borders.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bord Bia (Irish Food Board): Irish government agency promoting Irish food, drink, and horticulture exports, running the Origin Green sustainability programme and Quality Mark certification. Closely comparable to DAFC's certification, sustainability, and export-promotion mandate, with similar focus on livestock export markets.
• AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board): UK statutory levy-funded agriculture and horticulture industry body providing research, market intelligence, and export support for British farmers — directly analogous to DAFC's role for Danish producers, with overlapping services in benchmarking, standards, and international promotion.
• Copa-Cogeca: Brussels-based combined voice of European farmers (Copa) and agricultural cooperatives (Cogeca), representing EU-level interests to EU institutions. DAFC's chairman holds a COPA Vice-Presidency, reflecting tight integration; both organizations lobby on CAP, welfare, and trade policy on behalf of European producers.
• GLOBALG.A.P. Global farm-assurance programme covering food safety, sustainability, and worker welfare across crops, livestock, and aquaculture. Comparable to DAFC's certification function at an international scale, with growing overlap in animal-welfare and responsible-sourcing standards.
• Deutscher Bauernverband (German Farmers' Association): Germany's leading agricultural lobby and trade association, representing German farmers' interests domestically and at EU level. Directly comparable to DAFC's role for Danish farmers, with similar member services, policy advocacy, and sustainability programme focus.
• FEFAC (European Feed Manufacturers Federation): European feed-industry federation whose Responsible Soya Sourcing Guidelines underpin the DANISH Product Standard's responsible soya requirements. Comparable as an EU-level industry-body setting sustainability and quality standards for agricultural inputs.
• QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH: German cross-stage quality assurance scheme for meat and meat products, covering farms, transporters, and slaughterhouses. It cross-recognizes the DANISH Product Standard's responsible soya requirements, making it a direct peer in agricultural certification infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards): Internationally recognized food-safety certification scheme owned by the British Retail Consortium, covering processing, packaging, and storage. Overlaps with DAFC's DANISH Product Standard at the food-safety certification layer, with broader industry scope but less pig-production specialization.
• SQF Institute: Global food-safety and quality certification programme administered by the Food Marketing Institute, used across retail, foodservice, and processing. Comparable to DAFC's certification business at a multi-category level rather than pig-specific scope.

Others

• SEGES Innovation: Danish knowledge centre for pig production operating under the DAFC umbrella, conducting research and developing tools such as ESGreen. Included as a related-entity peer given its close operational integration with DAFC's pig-sector programmes and shared member base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agriculture-&-food

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Agriculture & Food