Denmark's Food Administration will eliminate 150 positions as part of government workforce reductions. The cuts affect 150 out of 1,800 total jobs at the agency.
The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries announced the move Wednesday. It comes during a merger between the Food Administration and the Agricultural and Fisheries Agency.
Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Jacob Jensen said the consolidation will improve efficiency. "We must constantly consider how to organize work most effectively," Jensen stated.
The merger aims to create better coordination across food and agriculture sectors. Officials say it will free up resources from administrative tasks.
The new combined agency will be called the Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency. This reflects the Danish government's ongoing effort to streamline public sector employment.
While presented as an efficiency measure, the job cuts represent a substantial reduction in food safety oversight capacity. The government's priority appears to be cost reduction rather than maintaining staffing levels for regulatory functions.