Farmers are crucial for our present and future
Thanks to Europe’s agri-food sector, 450 million people have access to safe, healthy, and affordable food.
EU farmers are the backbone of Europe’s food self-sufficiency, and vital drivers of jobs and sustainable growth in rural areas. They are making a central contribution to our collective green transition. At the same time, they face challenges, such as climate change and a competitive global market. They have shown remarkable resilience throughout a pandemic, an energy crisis, the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and high inflation.
We must work together with the men and women in EU farming to secure our food supply for the future. Our farmers face mounting challenges: that is why we want to launch a strategic dialogue on the future of EU agriculture. I am convinced that agriculture and protection of the natural world can go hand in hand. We need both.
Launch of the Strategic Dialogue
In the face of mounting challenges, the EU is seeking the best ways to support EU farmers, and adapt EU agriculture policies, with their needs in mind.
To deliver on this, as promised in her State of the Union speech in September 2023, President von der Leyen has launched the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture.
The European Commission is bringing together farmers, local food store owners, European retailers, consumer organisations, environmental groups, financial institutions, and academia to share ideas and listen to farmers’ needs.
Find out more about the Dialogue, its meetings and participants
What the EU is doing on agriculture
The European Commission has already launched a 5-year support system for farmers in the form of a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2023. This received €300 billion in funding and includes stronger incentives to help our farmers adopt more sustainable and more resilient practices. Farmers will be paid extra for their yield if they also store carbon.
In their CAP strategic plans, Member States are directing stronger levels of support to those who need it most. For example, more than 10% of EU direct payments, representing €4 billion annually, will be re-allocated to smaller farms. We have also increased emergency support for natural disasters and price shocks.
In 2023 alone, Europe provided exceptional assistance of over €500 million to farmers most affected by crises.
In response to farmers’ concerns, the Commission has presented options to reduce the administrative burden on EU farmers, and is working on actions to improve the position of farmers in the food chain and to improve the enforcement against unfair trading practices. It has also launched two surveys: a first one where farmers and all smaller suppliers across the food supply chain can share their views on their experience with unfair trading practices, and a second one to gather farmers' views on simplifying certain rules and procedures.