The Royal Danish Agricultural Society (, DKHL) is a Danish Learned society dedicated to agricultural practices that was founded in 1769. Today, the society is promoted as a forum for discussions on agricultural practices, sustainable land use, and environmental issues related to agricultural production.
The society holds seminars and awards prizes for agricultural competitions. Since 1831, it has published the journal Tidsskrift for Landøkonomi.
History The Royal Danish Agricultural Society was established on 29 January 1769 through the initiative of Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff's protégé, Martin Hübner. The society was based on similar organizations in other European countries, including the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, the Académie d'Agriculture, the Free Economic Society.
The society was established with the intention of promoting an interest in agriculture through competitions for farmers, craftsmen, artists, and agricultural theorists. From 1770 to 1832, the society primarily functioned to support these competitions and organize funding for prizes which were typically medals, which had been designed by Daniel Adzer, and monetary awards. The society would publish an annual list of prize categories which changed each year to reflect innovations that the society wished to fund. Initially, around 55 individual prizes were offered. The number of prizes on offer peaked in 1790 at 170, before reducing in 1832 to 3 theoretical and 12 practical prizes.
Beginning in 1804, prizes were only offered as trophy cups which could be exchanged for the value of their silver. The cups are made in several different sizes to represent different tiers, with the largest size only being granted on special occasions for achievements of particular merit in the field of agricultural education. By the 1970s, more than 900 silver cups had been awarded by the society.
Presidents
Initially, the society's members were mainly farmers, clergy, and estate owners. Presidents were usually high-ranking civil servants. Previously, the society was led simultaneously several presidents, however today only one member holds the title of president at a time.
1769–1774: 1769–1772: Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff 1773–1783: Thomas Bugge 1774–1778: 1774–1787: Henrik Gerner 1778–1781: 1779–1786: Joachim Michael Geuss 1782–1787: 1784–1798: 1795–1797: 1798–1801: Ernst Frederik Walterstorff 1803–1806: Christen Henriksen Pram 1807–1808: Philip Rosenstand-Goiske (2nd term) 1809–1855: Jonas Collin 1817–1855: Anders Sandøe Ørsted 1819–1830: Johan Christian Drewsen 1831–1839: V.F. Johnsen 1840–1848: 1850–1855: Frederik Treschow 1855–1883: B.S. Jørgensen 1860–1888: Edward Tesdorpf 1866–1881: Ludvig Holstein-Holsteinborg 1881–1893: 1883–1891: Niels Johannes Fjord 1888–1897: 1889–1909: 1891–1898: J.C. la Cour 1893–1894: 1898–1900: Frederik Friis 1900–1902: 1902–1910: Frederik Friis (2nd term) 1909–1919: Carl Bech 1910–1920: 1911–1930: Frederik Christian Moltke 1919–1934: Christian Sonne 1934–1943: Karl Hasselbalch 1934–1955: O.H. Larsen 1941–1957: Axel Pedersen 1943–1952: August Bech 1956–1980: 1963–1976: 1979–1994: 1990–2005: 2005–present: Frederik Lüttichau
References
External links Official website