Gadbjerg and Givskud revisited—changes in agricultural structure in two parishes in central Jutland between 1973 and 1997

Abstract

Geografisk Tidsskrift, Danish Journal of Geography 99: 69–80, 1999

The agricultural sector in Denmark has experienced drastic structural changes since World War 2 which have reduced the number of farms from 200.000 in 1960 to 63.000 in 1997. This article analyses the changes in agricultural structure at a local scale, comparing key farm parameters for farmers in Gadbjerg and Givskud parishes in central Jutland in 1973 and 1997. It was found that the proportion of full-time farmers has declined from 77% to 41%, and that the dominant farm type changed from farm with mixed animal production to farms without animals. It is concluded that the drive towards a bipolarization of the farming community into large full-time farms and small hobby farms which is a common development in Denmark for the period was more pronounced in Gadbjerg and Givskud parishes. Farmers have followed different pathways of development to adapt to the variable farming conditions, with the adoption of part-time farming being a very common practise.

Keywords:

• Agricultural development
• structural adjustment
• farm types
• agricultural land use
• land tenure
• labour use
• pathways of development
• transition matrix