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CONSEIL EUROPEEN DES JEUNES AGRICULTEURS

CEJA

CEJA represents young farmers across Europe, advocating for policies that support the next generation entering agriculture and promoting sustainable, innovative farming practices.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Benedetta Scuderi (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

27 Jan 2026 · Erasmus+ programme 2028–2034

Meeting with Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Youth Forum and

14 Jan 2026 · Stakeholder dialogue on establishing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034

Meeting with David Cormand (Member of the European Parliament) and European farmers and

19 Nov 2025 · Event: "This Land Is Our Land: Generational Renewal and Access to Land in Europe"

Meeting with Pär Holmgren (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Nov 2025 · EU agricultural policy, generational renewal, climate mitigation and adaptation

Meeting with Gijs Schilthuis (Director Agriculture and Rural Development)

4 Nov 2025 · The proposals for the CAP after 2027

Young Farmers Council Demands 10% Budget Ring-Fence in CAP Reform

29 Oct 2025
Topic — EU's post-2027 budget framework including Common Agricultural Policy and regional funds.
Message — The organization demands re-establishment of mandatory ring-fenced support for young farmers at 10% minimum spending by Member States. They reject aspirational targets and want binding legal commitments for generational renewal funding.12
Why — This would secure guaranteed funding levels and create leverage over national governments to prioritize young farmers.34
Impact — Young farmers across Europe lose guaranteed support as national governments gain discretion over agricultural funding priorities.567
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Meeting with Elisabeth Werner (Director-General Agriculture and Rural Development)

23 Oct 2025 · exchange of views with CEJA on the EU Strategy on Generational Renewal

Meeting with Catherine Geslain-Laneelle (Director Agriculture and Rural Development)

22 Sept 2025 · Exchange on the legislative proposals for the future MFF and CAP

Meeting with Irene Sacristan Sanchez (Head of Unit Health and Food Safety)

18 Sept 2025 · Exchange of views on the state of play of the interinstitutional negotiations on the Commission proposal for a Regulation on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques (NGT proposal)

Meeting with Humberto Delgado Rosa (Director Environment)

17 Sept 2025 · Exchange on the Vision for EU Agriculture and Food and CEJA contributions to the European Board for Agriculture and Food

Meeting with Brigitte Misonne (Acting Director Agriculture and Rural Development)

17 Sept 2025 · Livestock Workstream

Meeting with Maria Walsh (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Sept 2025 · Agricultural Policy

Meeting with Valérie Hayer (Member of the European Parliament) and Association Générale des Producteurs de Maïs

18 Jul 2025 · CAP

Young farmers urge investment support for new welfare rules

16 Jul 2025
Topic — The European Commission is revising rules for the welfare of farmed animals.
Message — CEJA requests financial support and a long transition period for phasing out animal cages. They also demand trade reciprocity and shared responsibility for the costs of data collection.123
Why — Farmers would receive public funding while blocking competitors with lower standards.45
Impact — International exporters would lose market access unless they meet stricter EU standards.67
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CEJA Urges Standalone EU Budget and Land Access Reforms

9 Jul 2025
Topic — This consultation prepares the future EU strategy for promoting generational renewal in agriculture.
Message — CEJA requests thirty billion euros specifically earmarked for the next generation of farmers. They propose a new policy toolbox including farm transmission schemes and risk management tools. They also call for an EU Land Observatory to improve farmland data transparency.123
Why — Direct grants and support would reduce the financial burden of high-interest bank loans.4
Impact — Non-active farmers face increased pressure to transfer land to the younger generation.56
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Meeting with Benoit Cassart (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

4 Jul 2025 · INI livestock

Meeting with Patricia Reilly (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)

20 Jun 2025 · Exchange of views on the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and generational renewal in agriculture.

Meeting with Florian Geyer (Head of Unit Justice and Consumers)

23 May 2025 · Rule of Law Policy

Meeting with Christina Borchmann (Director Agriculture and Rural Development) and

6 May 2025 · Exchange on issues faced by young farmers in Slovakia

Meeting with Gaelle Marion (Head of Unit Agriculture and Rural Development)

5 May 2025 · Water Resilience Strategy

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

8 Apr 2025 · Soil Monitoring Law, farmers

Meeting with Irene Sacristan Sanchez (Head of Unit Health and Food Safety)

1 Apr 2025 · Commission proposal on plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques, NGTs

Meeting with Jessika Roswall (Commissioner) and

25 Mar 2025 · Roundtable “Water, Agriculture, and the Food Supply Chain”

Meeting with Philippe Lamberts (Principal Adviser Inspire, Debate, Engage and Accelerate Action)

17 Mar 2025 · CAP reform; trade agreements; EU climate policy

CEJA demands stronger enforcement against unfair food trading practices

7 Mar 2025
Topic — New rules to improve cooperation between national authorities enforcing unfair trading protections.
Message — CEJA calls for a Directive revision by 2025 including strict anonymity. They propose banning below-cost selling and establishing national mediation bodies.123
Why — This reduces administrative burdens and legal costs for farmers reporting unfair practices.4
Impact — Intermediary traders face greater scrutiny and limited options for implementation shopping.56
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European young farmers urge stronger bargaining power in food chain

7 Mar 2025
Topic — The consultation addresses amendments to regulations strengthening farmers' position in the food supply chain.
Message — CEJA supports mandatory written contracts and revision clauses to provide price predictability for farmers. They advocate for specific incentives to better integrate young farmers into producer organisations. Finally, they call for a broader revision of crisis management tools post-2027.123
Why — These reforms would help young farmers overcome price pressures and build viable agricultural businesses.4
Impact — Retailers and processors lose the ability to enforce standards without implementing genuine fair practices.5
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Meeting with Esther De Lange (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen), Maxi Espeter (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen)

5 Mar 2025 · Follow up on the publication of the Vision for agriculture and food

Meeting with Christophe Hansen (Commissioner) and

4 Mar 2025 · Exchange of views on the Vision for Agriculture and Food

Meeting with Claire Bury (Deputy Director-General Health and Food Safety)

25 Feb 2025 · CEJA’s reaction to the Vision for Agriculture and DG SANTE files.

Meeting with Fabien Santini (Head of Unit Agriculture and Rural Development)

9 Jan 2025 · Commission proposals of 10 December 2024 on the Common Market Organisation Regulation and on cross border enforcement of unfair trading practices.

Meeting with Valérie Hayer (Member of the European Parliament) and innocent drinks

19 Nov 2024 · Divers

Meeting with Peter Van Kemseke (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)

15 Oct 2024 · agri

Meeting with Miriam Garcia Ferrer (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

15 Oct 2024 · EU – MERCOSUR trade agreement, EU trade policy

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

20 Sept 2024 · Soil, Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture

Meeting with Christoph Nerlich (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit)

20 Mar 2024 · Youth employment

Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner) and Confederazione Nazionale Coldiretti and

26 Feb 2024 · To present their situation and requests to the representatives of the European Institutions

Meeting with Ursula von der Leyen (President) and European agri-cooperatives and

1 Feb 2024 · Meeting with Representatives of Farmers

Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President) and European Environmental Bureau and

9 Jan 2024 · Farm visit and roundtable with agri-food chain stakeholders

Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner)

5 Dec 2023 · European Parliament initiative report on generational renewal in EU farms

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European agri-cooperatives

17 Nov 2023 · Soil Health Law

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Swedish Forest Industries Federation

16 Nov 2023 · Soil Health Law

Meeting with Peter Van Kemseke (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)

9 Nov 2023 · future of agriculture

Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President)

6 Nov 2023 · Transition towards sustainable food systems

CEJA backs genomic rules but demands patent clarity

2 Nov 2023
Topic — Creating a regulatory framework for plants produced by targeted mutagenesis and cisgenesis.
Message — CEJA supports the new framework for targeted mutagenesis to improve farm sustainability. They oppose the ban on these techniques for organic producers. They also demand that natural-like changes must not be patentable.123
Why — This framework would enhance the economic sustainability and environmental resilience of young farmers.4
Impact — Organic producers lose out on innovation and face a biased perception of their sector.5
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Meeting with Wolfgang Burtscher (Director-General Agriculture and Rural Development)

26 Oct 2023 · Discussion with young farmers on sustainable agriculture and climate change

European young farmers urge flexible EU soil monitoring rules

13 Oct 2023
Topic — Proposed EU directive establishing a framework for monitoring and restoring healthy soils.
Message — CEJA advocates for an adaptable framework that avoids a 'one size fits all' approach. They reject the 'one out, all out' health assessment and request removing voluntary soil health certificates. They also seek financial support beyond the Common Agriculture Policy.123
Why — Flexible rules would prevent young farmers from being unfairly penalised and keep land prices affordable.45
Impact — Landowners lose a mechanism that would have increased property values through soil health certificates.6
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Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Environmental Bureau and

28 Sept 2023 · Soil Health Law

Meeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

20 Sept 2023 · Sustainable food systems

Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner)

25 Jul 2023 · Priorities of our new board, particularly related to the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

Meeting with Kurt Vandenberghe (Director-General Climate Action) and European farmers and

27 Jun 2023 · Fit for 55

Meeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

7 Mar 2023 · Role of young farmers in sustainable food systems

Meeting with Stéphane Séjourné (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Feb 2023 · sujets agricoles français et européens

Meeting with Fabienne Keller (Member of the European Parliament) and La Coopération Agricole

27 Feb 2023 · Visite au Salon de l'Agriculture

Young farmers urge EU to tackle agricultural mental health crisis

15 Feb 2023
Topic — The EU is developing a comprehensive approach to mental health for citizens.
Message — CEJA calls for an integrated strategy on mental health at European level for farmers. They recommend including mental health awareness in the education of young farmers.12
Why — This would help farmers overcome financial uncertainties and reduce their administrative burden.34
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CEJA calls for viable alternatives and investment in sustainable farming

19 Sept 2022
Topic — This consultation explores the revision of EU rules regarding sustainable pesticide use.
Message — CEJA advocates for viable and affordable alternatives to chemical pesticides within simplified frameworks. They demand clear, relevant metrics for national targets instead of aspirational objectives. The organization requests investment support and predictable regulations for new genomic techniques.123
Why — Simplified rules and financial support would lower the costs of transitioning to sustainable farming.4
Impact — Environmental regulators lose oversight if monitoring platforms are rejected to reduce farmer workloads.5
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Meeting with Maciej Golubiewski (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski)

14 Sept 2022 · Meeting with the President and Sec General of CEJA

Meeting with Annukka Ojala (Cabinet of Commissioner Stella Kyriakides)

1 Sept 2022 · VTC meeting: sustainable food systems’ framework initiative (FSFS)

Meeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

12 Jul 2022 · The transition towards sustainable food systems

Young farmers urge fair rewards in carbon removal certification

22 Apr 2022
Topic — The European Commission is developing a regulatory framework for certifying carbon removals.
Message — CEJA requests a certification system focusing on actions rather than results during the initial stages. They advocate for remuneration that covers both implementation costs and income foregone.12
Why — The framework would provide young farmers with new revenue streams and soil quality.3
Impact — New farmers may face higher barriers due to increased land competition and costs.4
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Response to Application of EU health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products

16 Mar 2022

In the context of its two-year sustainability policy programme, the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) welcomes the possibility to express its views on the implementation of EU health and environmental standards to imports. Young farmers support such an ambition, which they believe justified by the need to establish higher global standards for environmental protection and climate action, while ensuring fair competition and policy coherence. Such objectives should be achieved through the necessary legal and political discussions to be held at multilateral level in the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Farm to Fork (F2F) and Biodiversity Strategies have put forward new objectives, opportunities and constraints directly affecting food value chain actors, including farmers in the first place. As field actors directly affected by sustainability issues, we support the European ambition to reach climate neutrality by 2050 and further sustainability efforts. Yet, since agricultural goods represent a significant share of global trade, the achievement of theagricultural Green Deal objectives necessarily involves an international dimension. Trade rules, in particular, remain a significant component of a sustainability strategy for agriculture and food systems. While trade has provided many opportunities for the agricultural sector over the years, the current regulatory framework at multilateral and bilateral level is not adapted to the challenges. The impossibility to condition imports to the respect of certain standards of production – different from SPS standards – has created unfair competition for farmers, a confusing situation for consumers and a lack of coherence in the way we want to reduce the negative impact of food systems. Find CEJA's full contribution in the attachment.
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Response to Soil Health Law – protecting, sustainably managing and restoring EU soils

16 Mar 2022

In the framework of its two-year sustainability policy programme, the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) welcomes the possibility to contribute to the call for evidence launched by the European Commission in the perspective of the preparation of the EU Soil Health Law. Because healthy and well-functioning soils are fundamental to their production activity, but also to their capacity to deliver ecosystem services and play their part in the achievement of the Union’s climate objectives, young farmers are committed to improve and maintain good soil quality across Europe. While soil has no borders, and the effects of soil degradation are transboundary, soil characteristics differ greatly across Europe and most of the remedies are local, sometimes at the very level of the farm. As a result, CEJA welcomes the European Commission's strategic approach to soils, in particular when it comes to preservation of land against urban artificial development and the strong focus on knowledge development. However, some precisions are needed to better take into account farmers’ constraints and needs. For young farmers, a primary need remains the quality, but also the availability and accessibility of the land, in order to allow them to implement long-term sustainable soil management practices. Find CEJA's full contribution in the attachement.
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Meeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

11 Feb 2022 · Sustainable food systems

Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner)

8 Dec 2021 · Meeting of Commissioner Wojciechowski with CEJA's President, Ms Lenzi - CEJA's Sustainability programme for 2022-2023

Response to Sustainable food system – setting up an EU framework

26 Oct 2021

Since the publication of the Farm to Fork Strategy in May 2020, the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) has been active on the various reflections around the implementation phase, participating to various non-legislative initiatives including the Code of Conduct for responsible business and marketing practices and the Contingency plan for ensuring food security and supply. As part of its next two-year programme to elaborate young farmers’ pathway to sustainability, the organisation welcomes the possibility to contribute to the elaboration of the framework initiative on an EU sustainable food system and is looking forward to further discussions with policymakers and stakeholders. The document attached presents the challenges which CEJA believes the framework initiative should address, as well as pathways for action to deliver concrete results on the transition towards more sustainable food systems.
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Meeting with Dubravka Šuica (Vice-President)

8 Sept 2021 · Demography, rural areas, ageing, Conference on the Future of Europe

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President)

22 Mar 2021 · Sustainable food systems

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Mar 2021 · Carbon farming

Meeting with Jori Keijsper (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

26 Feb 2021 · Preparation of meeting of EVP Timmermans with young farmers

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and

18 Feb 2021 · Pact for Skills roundtable with the representatives of agri-food sector

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

18 Feb 2021 · Pact for Skills roundtable with the representatives of agri-food sector.

Meeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

15 Jan 2021 · Preparation of an event with young farmers

Meeting with Toma Šutić (Cabinet of Vice-President Dubravka Šuica)

1 Dec 2020 · Preparatory meeting to ensure a productive meeting with the Vice-President.

Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner) and

25 Nov 2020 · Common Agriculture Policy reform

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President)

28 Sept 2020 · Young Farmers and the Green Deal

Response to Long term vision for rural areas

4 Sept 2020

The European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) sees in the holistic approach proposed by the European Commission in its future long-term vision for rural areas a positive signal and a transformative opportunity for young people and their communities. In light of the COVID-19 developments, the role of rural areas for the future of the EU has been reemphasized; generating essential economic activities, such as agriculture, forestry and the bioeconomy, they are also places of cohesion and solidarity with the potential to create more employment, inclusion and resilience among communities. Yet, despite their numerous added values, rural areas are confronted to systemic issues which impede them to reach their full potential. Demographic change and the ageing of the population, the lack of connectivity, low incomes levels as well as the difficult access to services constitute some of the most pressing challenges to address. To do so, CEJA has identified three pathways for action: Life-long education and training, for which the Erasmus Programme and the European Social Fund are two useful instruments, constitute key elements to provide individuals, at all ages, opportunities to acquire new skills, leading to employment and community action. In the agricultural sector, boosting knowledge and innovation networks and further developing advisory services, will allow to better accompany individuals in their farm project, access to financing opportunities and sustainable practices. Business development and maintenance must also be a central axis of a long-term vision for rural areas, with the aim to tackle all barriers established and future entrepreneurs face. To do so, further financial capacity has to be targeted at installation aid and investment support. The latter, in the form of grants and financial instruments, must address underlying issues young people, in particular young farmers, face in their access to credit. Empowering individuals would be counterproductive if not followed by a massive multi-scale response to the investment gap at stake in rural areas. A first priority, already listed in the Farm to Fork Strategy, is the objective of 100% broadband coverage in rural areas. Public authorities must invest in high-quality broadband, leveraging private instruments, to facilitate the development of e-commerce for entrepreneurs, including farmers, social interaction, e-government services as well as educational platforms. In line with lessons learnt from COVID-19, access to physical and mental health services and infrastructure must as well constitute a core priority. The lacks in general and specialised practitioners, specialised structures for most vulnerable people, as well as mental health support all need to be urgently tackled. In the farming and forestry sector, where inherent risks in terms of health and accidents are high, the need for a sound, dedicated health policy framework is more and more pressing. Last but not least, to truly empower farmers and foresters to provide environmental services and act to mitigate climate change, incentivising and compensatory payments have to be reflected on. These sectors' contribution to the EU’s fight against climate change needs to be fully acknowledged, through carbon storage schemes, greater focus on research and innovation, and the exploration of a solidarity schemes across sectors. The policy frameworks resulting from the long-term vision for rural areas should state a clear methodology to guarantee coherence between the different levels of governance, but also synergies between all relevant EU funds. While the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) has proven to provide reliable instruments, its limited budget in the years to come calls for an increase in rural proofing of all EU funds available.
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Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner)

13 Jul 2020 · Exchange of views on the Farm to Fork Strategy and CAP

Meeting with Stella Kyriakides (Commissioner)

19 Jun 2020 · VC Meeting on Farm to Fork Strategy

Response to Farm to Fork Strategy

13 Mar 2020

The Farm to Fork Strategy provides an opportunity to reinforce the sustainability of our food system and to bring farmers closer to consumers. However, for this Strategy to be successful, it is crucial to ensure its key enablers, European farmers, are acknowledged and given the adequate economic and social perspectives. Addressing the demographic challenge in the sector will constitute a primary condition in reaching and maintaining our common ambition in the long run. To do so, and in line with the future Common Agriculture Policy, ambitious generational renewal strategies will have to be put in place. Enabling young farmers in their access to land, credit and investments, as well as skills and knowledge will help them to optimise their contribution to environmental objectives, such as carbon sequestration, safeguarding biodiversity and reducing erosion. Europe’s young farmers also believe the Farm to Fork Strategy will have to align objectives to reduce the income gap characterising the sector and to establish more bargaining power for farmers, as well as market transparency within the food chain. These would guarantee farmers’ ability to receive a fair return for their products and position themselves as price makers. A strong stance on investments is also needed within the strategy. Public support and leverage for private investments, through well-promoted financial instruments, will be key in implementing the Strategy’s ambition in regards to its environmental and climate action. The Strategy must not lose sight of economic return and profitability, while acknowledging a diversity of sustainable, adaptable practices at farm level. From this perspective, while organic farming has the potential to reinforce the economic and environmental sustainability on the farm, the setting-up of stringent targets (x% of hectares) might have trade-off effects on prices. It is therefore important to guarantee any step taken in promoting organic farming is market-based. When it comes to providing public goods to society, the creation of an enabling framework is instrumental. Rewarding and incentivising the efforts made by farmers, providing accessible and relevant advisory services and focusing further on research development and implementation must be the key ingredients of this framework. Moreover, any step aiming at increasing cooperation with farmers in setting research agendas is necessary to truly boost innovation in our food system and allow, for example, the decrease of dependency on costly external inputs such as pesticides and mineral fertilizers. Social inclusion must also be outlined as a key objective of the Farm to Fork Strategy in order to bridge the disconnect between farmers and consumers. The development of accurate communication towards consumers, both on farming practices and food value, is essential to empowering consumers in making informed choices. The objective of social inclusion must also be targeted at farmers and rural areas at large. Empowering economic actors in rural areas towards a more sustainable food system will not be possible without public action aiming at increasing access to basic services and health care, and providing appropriate infrastructure, including high-quality broadband. From this perspective, the upcoming long-term vision for rural areas will have to go hand in hand with this Strategy. Last but not least, other EU policies must be coherent with objectives and targets outlined in the Farm to Fork Strategy, in particular when it comes to trade policy. The resilience of Europe’s food system and its ability to grow more in terms of its sustainability also depend on the ambition we have at the global level. Farmers are and will be expected to be the key enablers of the Farm to Fork Strategy. It is therefore of primary importance to acknowledge them both in words and actions and provide them with the appropriate tools to reach our common ambition towards a more sustainable food system.
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Meeting with Annukka Ojala (Cabinet of Commissioner Stella Kyriakides), Roberto Reig Rodrigo (Cabinet of Commissioner Stella Kyriakides)

25 Feb 2020 · Farm to Fork Strategy

Meeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

18 Feb 2020 · Sustainable food systems

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

17 Feb 2020 · Agricultural aspects of the European Green Deal

Meeting with Phil Hogan (Commissioner)

13 Nov 2019 · Agri Matters

Meeting with Phil Hogan (Commissioner)

28 May 2019 · Address Event & Q&A

Meeting with Phil Hogan (Commissioner)

4 Dec 2018 · Opening address CEJA 60 anniversary celebrations

Response to Evaluation of the impact of the CAP on generational renewal, local development and jobs in rural areas

8 Mar 2018

Young farmers are entrepreneurs and make important contributions to Europe’s rural areas. Many are passionate about their profession and dedicated to farming sustainably. According to data from Eurostat, only 5.6% of EU farms are run by farmers under the age of 35. The figure is disturbing because without young farmers in the fields of Europe the future of food production, rural economies and open landscapes would be compromised. While the CAP has undoubtedly made positive contributions to EU agriculture over the years, it must be adequately reformed in order to better deal with present-day challenges, of which generational renewal is arguably one of the most significant. It is therefore paramount that any action taken to deal with generational renewal in the CAP focusses on helping young entrants get started and young farmers sustainably develop their farm. Young entrants to the sector, whether continuing an existing farm or starting a new one, point to difficult access to land and credit as their main barriers. This was highlighted in a CEJA-DeLaval report about young farmers’ needs and characteristics. Economic risks and limited financial rewards in agricultural professions mean that young people often choose to leave rural areas, thereby impacting local development. The CAP and national policies related to taxation and land-use have a big role to play in solving the problems of accessing land and credit. Direct payments, often crucial to farmers’ income, cannot be so strongly linked to land. By aiming CAP payments at active farmers the EU could give a clear signal, via national policies, that land use should also be directed at active farmers. This would lower the risk of land being held by non-farming individuals, companies or organisations. Creating land mobility schemes and training for succession planning would offer further solutions. The top 3 factors young farmers have said they need to develop their farm in a sustainable way are a fair income level, access to land and the simplification of administrative procedures. Young farmers are conscientious about the environment and feel responsible for ensuring a sustainable agricultural sector. Many consider themselves to be custodians of the countryside and are aware of their role in protecting the environment for future generations. However, in order to safeguard the environment through farming practices, they need measures that are practical to implement on the ground and wish for civil society’s recognition of their provision of public goods. Farming today is subject to a wide range of demands and pressures, both professionally and personally. Young farmers at the beginning of their careers seek stability and this must be offered at a financial, regulatory and geopolitical level. They feel that a viable future in the sector is only possible under certain circumstances. This demonstrates that not enough is being done to make farming a sustainable profession in the long run for young people. In order to improve the situation, a strong EU providing unwavering support must act as the driving force to help face the challenges in the sector and the CAP post-2020 is the moment to set these reforms in stone. The barriers young farmers come up against can be almost impossible to surmount without assistance. The EU must ensure that young people continue to receive support, whether that is in terms of helping them set up their farm through start-up aid, top-ups and risk-management tools; assisting them to invest in their activities in order to expand, improve and bring their businesses up to speed with the latest smart farming technologies; encourage knowledge transfer between the generations and land mobility schemes; and continue to invest in rural areas in order to make them attractive places to work and live. More information can be found in CEJA’s Young Farmers are Key in the Future CAP document submitted alongside this contribution.
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Meeting with Phil Hogan (Commissioner)

27 Sept 2017 · Address conference

Meeting with Phil Hogan (Commissioner)

25 Jan 2017 · Opening Address

Meeting with Phil Hogan (Commissioner)

25 Jan 2017 · Generational Revewal through rural Development

Meeting with Phil Hogan (Commissioner)

13 Jul 2016 · Agri Matters

Meeting with Phil Hogan (Commissioner)

5 Dec 2014 · Current Agriculture Issues