Crown Prince Haakon visits farm

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway has visited a farm and a laboratory.

The Crown Prince started at the laboratory at Graminor in Hamar. Graminor develops grain and plant varieties that are adapted to Norway’s weather conditions. Norway’s food self-sufficiency rate is below 50%, making it one of the world’s most import-dependent nations.

Crown Prince Haakon said, “The work they do here at Graminor is impressive. It is important for food security that we get good grain that suits the special weather we have in Norway. It’s the year of total defence, so we’ll probably be thinking a little extra about food security this year. We should, of course, be prepared, although we shouldn’t go around being afraid of everything that could happen.”

Photo: Anette Ask, The Royal Court

He then travelled to the almost 200-year-old family farm Hovelsrud on Helgøya in Mjøsa. At Hovelsrud, they work with organic and regenerative grain production, and they have an historic garden which is open to visitors in the summer. The Crown Prince walked through the garden with owner Marianne Olssøn and learned more about their work. He was shown the field with the now sprouting seeds from Graminor by the owner’s father and former owner, Wilhelm Olssøn.