Denmark

              DENMARK
Denmark is a thousand-year-old kingdom with
a democratic constitution. The four-and-a-half
million Danes are merely a drop in the bucket
compared to the world's population, but Denmark is a large country if we include Greenland, the enormous Arctic island. (Without
Greenland, Denmark is but a speck on the
globe) The fewer we are, the more we have to
buckle down and do our bit for the world's welfare and culture. A small nation cannot afford
to waste time on inferiority complexes, in a defeatist sense of the word. Our ships sail the
seven seas and our fishermen haul up an abundance of fish from narrow straits and oceans.
Our foreign trade exceeds that of most countries. Our agriculture and industry are dynamic producers. We participate enthusiastically in international work, whether it be of a
political or a research nature or assistance
to the developing countries. We are a member of the United Nations,
the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization and several
other international organizations. For obvious reasons
we are on particularly close
terms with the other Scandinavian nations.
In the old days, Danish Vikings traveled far and wide
and conquered foreign lands
- but we have long ago sheathed our sword.
Nowadays, we only dream of living at peace
with other nations and contributing our share
towards the dream of a united world. At home
we seek justice and welfare, equality before
the law and an even chance for a good start in
life for all our citizens. In big politics we put
our faith in common sense and understanding
for our fellow beings.
AGRICULTURE is like
sports - one must train
to get results. The lazy-
bone has little chance in
the competition.
Danish agriculture has
been successful in international bouts, because it has what it takes
and it is in tip-top shape.
Denmark is the world's champion exporter of
bacon and canned meat - it claims the runner-
up title with butter and has come in as No. 3
in the race for the cheese and egg market.
Geographically, we're not in a very favorable
position. The weather is unpredictable and the
soil could be better, but Danish farmers have
that fighting spirit. They meet nature's challenge with a stubborn will to come out on top.
And this will is combined with imagination and
applied science. The individual farmer does
not stand alone. He is a member of the community without, however, losing his identity.
By joining societies and cooperatives, he can
gain valuable information and reap larger
profits. Agricultural and veterinary theories
are put into practice by a large staff of extension agents. All the farmer has to do is pick up
the phone, call the agent and he'll get the latest research results right then and there, not
to speak of new inspiration. This free circulation of know-how can hardly be over-estimated.
Breeding work best illustrates the importance
of this interplay.  Scientific institutions are
carrying out extensive
experimental activities
with plants and animals. Through this
painstaking research,
strains and races are
improved and the farmer carefully studies the
results. He now has a chance, on his farm, to
improve the productivity of his livestock and
increase his crop yield. But the road is also a
two-way street leading from the individual to
the entity. What the farmer has gained
through diligence and experience benefits
others. May we back up our point with just a
few statistics? In 1925 the average Danish cow
produced 275 pounds butter. Today she yields
more than 440 pounds butter per year.
In the course of 30 years the back of the Danish pig has been reduced by 0.4 inches from
1.6 to 1.2 inches and the weight of the head
has been decreased from 10.9 pounds to 8.3
pounds. (Consumers want neither fat pork nor
heavy skulls)
The cooperative movement started at the end
of the 19th century and spread within a few
years all over the nation. The folk high-schools
played their role - not only in the cultural, but
also in the economic development of the farmers. Here they learned that spiritual advantages and materialistic profits are mutually dependent.
Just as the mind could be enlightened through
the free exchange of thoughts, so products
could be improved on a cooperative basis. The
answer to the many individual farms was a
joint large-scale operation. Since then, marketing has been organized and it was soon realized that an effective
control system was
needed. The government accepted the job
of strict supervisor and
we may confidently
claim that only first-
class quality is allowed
to pass through the
needle's eye.
Our investment in quality has paid off handsomely. Danish food
products are sold in
practically all the countries of the world. Europe is our largest market, although the U. S.
ranks high with a substantial portion of canned meat and cheese.
In our export-history,
the sale of milk and other animal products to
the American and Canadian forces in Germany is a chapter all
its own. Danish agriculture does its share in
keeping the Armed Forces in good shape and
Army veterinary inspectors must give their
O.K. to the quality.
Agricultural exports a-
mount to almost half of
Denmark's total exports. Two-thirds of the
agricultural products are sold abroad, permitting Denmark to earn foreign exchange for
the purchase of important raw materials and
finished products. The developing countries
are seeking Danish advice and assistance in
the development of modern agriculture. We
fully appreciate this compliment which we feel
bound to honor.