GRAINGOOD

The majority of organic bread grains grown in Denmark and the rest of Europe are developed for feed and qualify for cultivation solely due to high yields in the field, but do not focus on the grain's health benefits or baking ability. The market for bread and plant-based foods is developing significantly in recent years, and there is now momentum for grains for human consumption with health promoting benefits, great taste and good baking properties.

The purpose of GRAINGOOD

The project's purpose is primarily to contribute to a more robust organic farming system, where disease-resistant grain varieties and populations, together with access to clean seed and cultivation advice, increase the ability of primary producers to produce and harvest quality grain despite different climatic conditions and naturally occurring diseases in the field.

In GRAINGOOD, Agrologica and Landsorten collaborate to develop, propagate and quality assure a large selection of special organic grain varieties intended for food, beverages and humans, so that they can be grown by organic farmers, processed by organic mills and distilleries and consumed by humans.

The project also collaborates with the project KORNPLAN, which is funded by the Danish Plant Foundation. The focus of this project is to spread knowledge of the properties and usability of the above-mentioned grain varieties in Danish sourdough bakeries and professional canteen kitchens. 

It is expected that GRAINGOOD will contribute to: 

1. improve the possibility of growing old barley varieties for whiskey production 
2. reduce the use of fungicides against the plant disease common bunt (currently used in 90% of wheat production in both Denmark and the EU), because the project's methods will help plant breeders find varieties with natural resistance against diseases
3. cultivation of several new grain varieties for human consumption 
4. crop safety for organic farmers 
5. increased cultivation area of ​​these varieties and to reduce the amount of discarded seed

Through pure cultivation, cleaning and advice, pure seed of organic Danish grain varieties becomes available to organic farmers, without the harvest being negatively affected by foreign varieties and seed-borne diseases. Pure seed strengthens the quality experience throughout the value chain from agriculture to mills and bakeries, kitchens and consumers.

The project will demonstrate and inform about the health and culinary qualities of the alternative organic grain range to relevant target groups of sourdough bakeries and professional kitchens. 

It is expected that the project will contribute with increased insight and knowledge about the health and culinary properties of organic specialty grains in sourdough bakeries and professional kitchens; a tripling of the organic area with special grains and increased economic turnover throughout the value chain.