Although the law was passed after negotiations between the main food and farming trade bodies, as well as it, and its largest environmental organisation, it was criticised by some farming groups. Farmers organisation Bæredygtigt Landbrug told the Financial Times that the agreement was crazy and showed that the Government was not listening to farmers.
Torsten Hasforth from Concito said there were some concerns the new law could undercut Danish farmers by increasing imports but the view had been taken that “someone has to start”.
“The whole idea is to spur innovation and solutions from the sector,” he said. “This is an attempt to try something that actually ends up reducing emissions.”
Denmark has one of the highest rates of beef consumption in the world, and the government has some of the most ambitious policies to encourage plant-based eating.
Pork, also very popular in Denmark, emits less but would also be subject to the carbon tax.
Last year Denmark published a world-first plan for how to incentivise the production and consumption of more vegetables and alternative proteins. It came after the government changed national guidelines to reduce meat consumption in line with recommendations for environmentally sustainable diets.
But Danes are less enthusiastic about meat alternatives and say they are less likely to reduce their meat consumption in the near future, compared to other Europeans, according to research from the University of Copenhagen.
Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, reportedly said she hoped the new tax would pave the way for similar levies elsewhere in the future.
UK Government ministers have previously floated the idea of a tax on British agriculture but backed away from the levies in recent proposals to extend its carbon tax regime.
The European Union has also held discussions about including agriculture in its carbon emissions trading system, but any move would likely face significant opposition from farming groups, who have staged protests across the bloc in recent months.