Hans Erik Jørgensen has just received the European organic award Best organic farmer.
Europe’s best male ecologist lives in Haarby on Funen.
This is the opinion of a jury consisting of members from the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, who have just named Hans Erik Jørgensen, organic farmer and chairman of the Organic Section of the Danish Ministry of Agriculture & Food, as Best Organic Farmer.
The award is given each year to a farmer (one woman and one man) who has developed an excellent, innovative, sustainable and inspiring project.
Hans Erik Jørgensen, who runs Risbjerg Landbrug in Haarby with his wife Kirsten Rasmussen, is very happy and honored by the award.
– Knowing that our work is being noticed is just wonderful and a huge recognition. It’s a pat on the back that there are influential people in Brussels who also see the value in our efforts for high animal welfare, our focus on soil health, the versatile crop rotation and all the other things we try to do in everyday life at Risbjerg, says Hans Erik Jørgensen.
The Danish organic chairman was presented with the award by IFOAM President Dora Drexler at the EU Organic Awards Ceremony 2026, which is organized by, among others, the EU Commission, Copa and Cogeca and IFOAM.
After the award ceremony, Hans Erik Jørgensen was in conversation with Christophe Hansen, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, and two other winners on stage, where he appealed, among other things, for the EU to do more to improve consumers’ knowledge of organic farming.
– Consumers recognise the EU organic logo, but their knowledge of the differences between production systems and the values that organic farming contributes in terms of animal welfare, biodiversity, health and environmental sustainability remains very limited.
– We have a Danish consumer survey that shows that at least half of Danish consumers, for example, do not know that organic animals go outdoors, that the animals have extra space, and that in organic farming there is extra focus on the animals’ ability to express their natural needs.
– Could the Commissioner consider an organic trade mission or a European information campaign on organic farming, asked Hans Erik Jørgensen.
At the EU Organic Awards Ceremony 2026, an award was also presented for Best organic farmer, female. Kay O’Sullivan, organic farmer in Ireland, was presented with the award by Søren Søndergaard, Chairman of the Danish Ministry of Agriculture & Food.
About Risbjerg Agriculture
Risbjerg Landbrug is a diverse organic farm with 6-7 employees. The farm manages approx. 350 ha with a diverse crop production, 250 sows in free range and a production of approx. 6000 slaughter pigs, some of which are raised in a concept where the slaughter pigs graze their entire lives. The farm also has cattle in natural care and chickens that lay “grass eggs”.
