Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1950-06-21
Denmark
FARMERS COOPERATIVE
ENTERPRISES

Danish agriculture which has
proved SO proficient in competition
with that of other countries is
largely practised on small hold
ings. Thus it may be mentioned
that out of the 204.0OO holdings of
the country, 100000 are classified
as houses" tallotments), that is,
small-scale concerns. $4,000 as me-
diminished farms and only 1900 as
estates" The last cover no more
than s per cent, of the whole ag-
ricultural area. Nevertheless, the
agricultural population in this
country do very we'll for them
selves. This is largely due to CO.
operation, from which they derive
some of the advantages of large
scale production and also those
arising from the personal contact
OF the small owner with all the
production processes III his organ
izauon. The means OF attaining
this has been the cooperative
movement.
The first cooperative factory
formed in this country was the
Butter-Factory of Hjeding, found
ed in 1882. The founding of this
factory was prompted by the de-
sire to improve the quality of the
butter produced by individual
farms, and the results were So sat
lsfactory that subsequent develop
ments took place at very rapid
rate, and today the country is COW
cred by cooperative butter fac
tories to a number OF 1867 with
an annual turnover OF some loo
million kroner. Their membership
comprises $4,000 farmers or
about 90 per cent of all holdings.
Some reduction in the number of
butter factories has been made in
recent years. because i has been
found that larger units generally
have lower costs OF operation.
Within the butter factories. every
member receives the same price
for his milk whether he delivers
little or much. Differences IN quail
.ty only are taken into account.
a further development Of the
idea underlying the creation OF the
cooperative butter factories led to
the establishment OF cooperative
butter export societies OF which
there are 10 with an annual post
war turnover OF about $50 million
kr
Another very important branch
OF the farmers production societies
are the Cooperative Bacon Fac
tories, the first ere OF which was
founded N HorSens in 1887. Their
organization IS very much Ike that
d the butter factories L may De
reckoaed tia. under normal con-
dsuons S. per cent Of all slaught-
erlng for expert Is carried on. II
the cooperative bacon factories.
ard practically a. marketing Is
done by these factories direc.-
Taey have alSo established e num-
oer = SPECIAL factories for the
handing ard processing Of fats.
otfA etc and for th= production
q canned Eoo1s
The third principal export branch
too - ths export q eggs has
. : ve-y large extent t--e7 built
ID u : cooperative 5zs1s- To tbs
end 3 specla- concern tie Dan
~ Farmers Cooperative Egs-E1-
pr Associate was formed
rs 1ox represents 500 3ocal So
cs1es Ez-- ~ DO members ar
: turnover Z 1913 = p nzllso- ~.
Besides hes socs-5es should D
Mentioned ne -DanisA Farmers
Szsss O-EHzz-3o- for Cattle E-1s
Neat an : sa-ses - Cattle Il
r,5-- So.ce-z= Cooperative
poultry S-z2EE-e-ao-s=s Ta-lo1s
o-Ae r-o7esers s3c5s.=s q EA5c-
Ezy especially D -s1.1ooez ttse
Dals. -'s1-T Soce-5eg Joz-t
Pz-rozss z-1 E-Ezoes-z-g WORKS.
E.d n Danish Cooperative c.
-s-t Fse-o-y-