About DFA

Danish Farmers Abroad is an association for Danish-owned agricultural companies located outside Denmark. Since the start in 2007, the association has had continuously growth of members and it now counts 58 members having activities in 44 countries.

The group of members also includes a large number of companies that are suppliers to the agricultural production companies. Through the membership of this network, they become into close link with significant actors in agricultural production in an international perspective.

Finally, the members of the association also include a number of personal members, who have signed up for membership.

The members

The members of agricultural companies have production of a considerable size. In a flash, the scope can be described as follows:

1

They represent a total of approx. 4,000 shareholders and a total number of 13,000 employees.

2

They operate 450,000 ha. of arable land producing fodder crops and sales crops. Most of the area is planted with wheat and corn - as well as a wide variety of crops - including fruits and berries.

3

They produce 8.0 million slaughter pigs per year - corresponding to 40 percent of the total Danish production.

4

They produce 170,000 tonnes of milk - corresponding to 4 percent of the total Danish milk production.

Background for the establishment

The association was founded on June 4, 2007 by a group of farmers who simply had in common, that they were involved in agricultural production abroad. They had neither geography, the nature and size of production, nor the maturity of their foreign establishment in common. However, it was clear to them that they could all reap the benefits of sharing experiences across borders.

Their common challenges at that time were to build economies of scale, establish company structures, build routines for interaction between the board and management, interaction between management and production, handle management at a distance and manage cultural differences, etc.

At that time, there were no package solutions ready in any Danish advisory organization. They had to construct them by themselves thus the idea of going together was that the more people you are to do the task, the better you can lift them.

DFA Purpose

The purpose of the association is:

COMMON FORUM

to create a common forum for exchange of experience between farmers/companies having activities outside the border of Denmark.

DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVITIES

to strengthen the development of activities that are of common benefit to the members of the association.

STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT

to strengthen the development of specific activities that are relevant to a group of the association's members, if the group is large enough.

PROMOTE POLITICAL INTEREST

to promote the interests of the members of the association in a political context at national level as well as at EU level.

PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING

to promote a positive understanding of the members' activities both within and outside Danish agricultural circles.

ALSO READ THE ASSOCIATION'S ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION HERE