Denmark abolishes its Ministry of Agriculture

The Danish government has approved a major ministerial restructuring that will see the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries abolished and its responsibilities redistributed across several government departments.

The reform is part of a broader cabinet reshuffle announced on 3 June 2026 by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. According to the official resolution, most of the responsibilities previously held by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries will be transferred to the Ministry for the Green Tripartite Agreement (Grøn Trepart), which will be renamed the Ministry of Nature and Animal Welfare.

However, several areas of responsibility will be reassigned to other ministries. Food safety, food health, food supply and the Plant-Based Foods Fund will be transferred to the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs. Responsibility for enforcing animal welfare legislation will move to the Ministry of Justice.

The reform also transfers fisheries policy to the Ministry of Environment, while matters relating to compensation for mink farmers and related businesses affected by the temporary ban on mink farming will be assigned to the Ministry of Transport.

As part of the reshuffle, Christian Rabjerg Madsen has been appointed Minister for Nature and Animal Welfare, becoming the political head of a ministry that will assume most of the agricultural responsibilities previously managed by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.

The restructuring represents a significant change in Denmark’s governmental framework and may signal a new policy direction in areas related to agriculture, food production, environmental management and animal welfare.