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The Regenerative Production Landscape

Political Inspiration Day

Producing for People, Nature and Economy

How can we produce on farmland near fjords, lakes, and streams in a way that benefits the environment, farmers, energy producers, processors, consumers, and local communities?

Klimafonden Skive and Business Region MidtVest hosted an inspiration day to showcase solutions for creating sustainable landscapes - today and in the future. The event highlighted how food production can coexist with healthy waterways, while supporting farmers’ incomes, processing businesses, and local development. It’s about harnessing the interaction between industrial and business symbioses and the landscape to create more locally sustainable business solutions.

Sustainable solutions for the future

Klimafonden Skive works to develop the next generation of industrial and business symbioses that function regeneratively, benefiting the landscapes that supply them with raw materials. Our approach focuses on grass cultivation and cascade use across the entire value chain, while also securing regulatory conditions that enable sustainable innovation throughout the system.

Why now? Local focus, global relevance

Across Denmark, low-oxygen zones in fjords, lakes, and streams pose a serious challenge. Food production in these areas must shift to prevent future harm to water quality and marine life. This issue is particularly pressing in Central and Western Jutland, including the areas around Limfjord, Nissum Fjord, Ringkøbing Fjord, Stadil Fjord, and Skjern Enge.

About

As part of Madmødet 2024, Klimafonden Skive and Business Region MidtVest invited politicians, municipal officials, farmers, and producers to presentations and discussions on the regenerative production landscape. The focus was on producing food close to waterways without compromising the environment or the bottom line.

The event took place on May 17 at Hotel Strandtangen in Skive.
Madmødet is the major food celebration in Central and Western Jutland, bringing together everyone involved in the food chain: harvesters, fishers, cooks, producers, and policymakers.

Business Region MidtVest includes the seven municipalities: Struer, Herning, Ringkøbing-Skjern, Holstebro, Ikast-Brande, Lemvig, and Skive.

Presentations of the Day

Thinking the whole value chain
The key message from all speakers was that the entire value chain must be considered and connected. Only by thinking holistically can we succeed.

  • Anne-Mette S. Langvad, Director, Klimafonden Skive – the regenerative production landscape.

  • Michael Bisgård, Organic farmer, Hagens Mølle – transitioning production to protein grass.

  • Vagn Hundebøll, CEO Biorefinery A/S / Senior Director, DLG Group – processing grass into proteins and pulp for energy production.

  • Poul J. Pedersen, former CEO, Thise Dairy and Vice-Chair, Klimafonden Skive – using grass proteins in new dairy products.

Coffee table conversations

How can we best support
the implementation of
the regenerative production landscape?

Supporting Implementation

Discussions explored how to best implement the regenerative production landscape. Key insights shared at the end of the day included:

  • Shared ownership is essential

  • Collaboration across sectors is necessary

  • Long-term economic viability is key

  • Business cases must work for both production and farmers, including potential land retirement

  • Strategic land planning is required

  • Regulatory sandbox needed to experiment freely, without bureaucracy

  • Multi-functional approaches support biodiversity, groundwater protection, CO2 storage, etc.

  • Land use must be efficient and smart

  • Possibility for double cropping with appropriate solar panels and protein grass

  • Incentives needed to drive the value chain; a 10-year profitability guarantee could work

  • Valid environmental documentation is required, with universities responsible

  • Nitrogen discharge must be addressed; otherwise progress is slow

  • Knowledge sharing is critical; networks are needed to gather ongoing efforts

  • Opportunities in fiber fractions and brine beyond grass should be explored

  • Engage industries already in operation with supply systems

  • Regulations hindering grass production need revision

  • Stakeholders must align on a common vision and design a shared business case

  • Land competition is a challenge

  • Desire for a regulatory sandbox

  • The solution addresses cross-cutting agendas

  • Farmers have extensive experience adapting

  • Farmers are not just meat and dairy producers but also energy and protein producers

  • Local development must be safeguarded

  • Financial support is needed; businesses cannot shoulder it alone

  • Silos must be broken down