About: young farmers
German farmers rely on subsidies, says young female farmer
The number of young people who want to work in agriculture is shrinking. Those who choose farming in Germany have to put up with high acquisition costs, complicated bureaucratic requirements and a modest income. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Farmers launch rallying cry for European elections
"Vote for our future". Copa-Cogeca, the European umbrella organisation of farmers and cooperatives, called on all farmers to vote in the upcoming European elections, spelling out its demands for Europe's future agricultural policy. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Will the post-2020 CAP be a missed opportunity?
MEPs need to overhaul the European Commission's plans to reform the Common Agricultural Policy, to attract young farmers, give farmers a fair wage, and protect the environment, argues Luke Flanagan.
Young Polish farmer: The reasons to move to the countryside
Small farms dominate the Polish agriculture. Their area gradually decreases, but data from the Central Statistical Office shows that the average Polish farmer has two to five hectares of land at his/her disposal. EURACTIV Poland reports.
Low returns and rural areas’ restrictions keep young Greek farmers away
Low profitability and poor infrastructure quality make farming in Greece unattractive to young people, who are needed more than ever before to take the agricultural sector a step forward, stakeholders have told EURACTIV Greece.
Young people and women ‘both needed’ in the next CAP, Spaniards say
Excessive red tape, combined with lack of access to land and proper rural infrastructure, continues to be the main obstacle to attracting young men and women in Spain’s agriculture sector. EFE Agro reports.
Young farmers in Romania hampered by lack of bank guarantees
Getting a loan is the biggest problem faced by young farmers in Romania, especially when they are unable to provide guarantees as back-up, EURACTIV Romania reports.
Lack of infrastructure and small farm support discourages young people in Germany
The lack of proper infrastructure in German rural areas, as well as poor support for new small farms, prevent young people from investing in agriculture and force them to move to cities. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Young farmers call for strong CAP budget to ensure generational renewal
EU member states will have to deal with the generational renewal of the EU farming sector “whether they like it or not,” young farmers say. And to do so, they first need to support a strong budget for the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), they argue.
Young people and women in EU farming
The EU farming sector is faced with an ageing population. In 2016 only 11% of farm managers in the EU were young farmers under the age of 40 years, according to Eurostat.
‘Third-child’ policy: Italy’s Lega wants to give farmland for free to large families
Italy's populist government is proposing to give land to families about to have a third child, hoping it would help fight the growing depopulation of rural areas and abandonment of arable land. But it has not been embraced by everyone.
Farming’s ageing and negativity problem
Agriculture still has to face up to the fact that farmers are ageing and young farmers are not interested. The cause rests in the limited access to land, migration from the countryside to urban areas and the negative media image imposed on agriculture. EURACTIV Czech Republic reports.
Greenpeace: Risk management tools cannot solve ‘unsustainable’ CAP system
Public policies should not embrace risk management tools that cement the current ecological and economically unsustainable agri-food system, Greenpeace's food and agriculture director Marco Contiero told EURACTIV.com.
Hogan: 3 reasons EU farmers should take the risk and invest in agriculture
European farmers should invest in post-2020 agriculture as it will be less bureaucratic, more focused on “technology breakthroughs” and will improve their standard of living, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan told EURACTIV.com.
How can the CAP combat rural poverty and land abandonment?
Agriculture is a vital pillar of Europe’s rural economies, providing jobs and supporting rural communities.
Back to the future: An agricultural conundrum
A drive through the rural areas of the EU is an adventure in landscapes, cuisine, culture and history. The countryside has also been a driver of economic and societal development in the EU since its foundation. With almost 40% of the EU budget going towards the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), its significance cannot be underestimated, writes Fiona Lally.
Smart farming seeks role in post-2020 CAP
Precision farming could play a leading role in making EU agriculture more sustainable. But green NGOs claim that the concentration of food production in the hands of the agri-food industry will have catastrophic consequences.
New CAP struggling to improve farmers’ resilience
Since the launch of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2015, the EU’s farmers have suffered a string of crises. The CAP’s greening measures have helped farmers maintain their revenue, but the questions of job creation and access to land have proved harder to answer. EURACTIV France reports.
EU rural areas must enter digital era, says Hogan
The future of EU’s rural development depends on digital technologies, which are essential to fill the existing gap with urban areas, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan has said.
Young farmers: CAP progress is ‘still not enough’
In an interview with EURACTIV's partner EFE, the president of the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA), Alan Jagoe, called for more aid for people new to the industry and criticised national governments for doing more for veteran farmers than their younger counterparts.