13th Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Conference 22 January 2021

Over the past year, we have been tested to the maximum by the Covid19-pandemic. For Norway's part, I am happy to note that we have been able to work our way through this together.

My Government has worked hard. I have had regular meetings with the farmers organisations and representatives of the food industry. And international markets have largely worked well and we have been able to export and import food almost as normal.

Our good status is largely due to attentive efforts by actors in the entire food system to ensure food security in a very difficult situation.

Norway has a very good base for responding to this pandemic. There is very low use of antimicrobials and pesticides in Norwegian agriculture.

And therefore low levels of resistance to antibiotics in humans. This is One Health in practice.

Norway's response to the pandemic is thus based on long-term efforts to ensure sustainable food production. We have a good cooperation between the Government and all the actors in the food value chain.

Thank you!