Closing the gap: policy, tools and trust in farming's future

Euronews

2 days ago

Europe's farmers are calling for change, not charity. A new Ipsos survey reveals a profession ready to evolve, given the right tools, support and political will.
One year after widespread protests placed agriculture at the heart of Europe's political agenda, the mood has shifted. Farmers are no longer demanding attention—they're demanding results.
The Farmers' Horizon 2025 survey, conducted by Ipsos across nine European countries and commissioned by CropLife Europe, identifies what farmers urgently need to achieve sustainable growth: smarter policy, fair access to innovation, and deeper collaboration across the sector.
In our final article in the series, we outline how to get there, based on representative voices and expert insights.
Farmers are not opposed to regulation. But many feel trapped in a system that makes it harder – not easier – to adopt sustainable practices. Heavy administrative burdens are cited as a major obstacle, with 57 per cent of surveyed farmers calling for simpler rules and clearer guidance.
At the Farmers' Horizon survey launch event, Elli Tsiforou, Secretary General of Copa-Cogeca, summed it up: 'Overproduction of policies – some contradictory – makes it hard for farmers to implement them on the ground. We need to be more pragmatic.'
Rather than create new frameworks, the focus now must be on improving what exists—streamlining audits, speeding up payments, and aligning national and EU-level regulations. Things that the new Commission seems to be trying to put into practice.
What's feasible: Maintaining a dedicated, well-funded CAP – adjusted for inflation – is seen as a priority for stability in the sector. Farmers and their representatives seek clarity and security regarding the future CAP budget, especially as proposals for a 'single fund' merging CAP and Cohesion Policy are debated.
Policy adjustments should also reflect market insights, such as those gathered by the EU Agri-Food Chain Observatory, where increased transparency in the food chain can help tackle unfair trading practices and secure fairer product prices for farmers.
Digital farming tools – from satellite imaging to precision application software – are no longer experimental. However, adoption remains low: just 20–30 per cent of farmers use them, and two-thirds lack the financial resources to invest in the technology.
Many small- and medium-scale farms in rural regions face barriers to technological adoption, lacking upfront investment as well as technical training and consistent internet access. To address this, financial incentives must go hand-in-hand with support for digital literacy and rural connectivity expansion.
Jens Hartmann, Chair of CropLife Europe, pointed to a clear opportunity: 'It's our task to ensure that an end-to-end innovative toolbox is available.'
What's feasible: Advisory services should be expanded to include digital training and peer-to-peer learning, helping farmers make informed decisions about which tools to adopt. Member States should invest in rural infrastructure and scale pilot projects, demonstrating how digital tools boost both productivity and sustainability.
To avoid farmers feeling left trapped between climate pressures and practical limitations, there is an urgent call for authorities to ease the transition by ensuring access to affordable, effective tools – and sufficient time to implement any changes.
One in three farmers across surveyed countries report difficulty accessing basic crop protection tools and many cited regulatory delays and added expense as obstacles to adopting new, environmentally friendly products like biopesticides, seeds and biological treatments. These findings tell us that crops are not sufficiently protected from pests and diseases.
Currently the transitional burden is causing pessimism, but Théo Paquet, Senior Policy Officer for Agriculture at the European Environmental Bureau insists there is opportunity here. If authorities compensated more highly for green measures and good results, farmers would be incentivised to show sustainable ambition.
In this way, farmer's can make money while serving the collective good. This helps to future-proof the sector and reestablish the profession as an attractive option for future generations.
What's feasible: Fast-tracking low-risk crop protection products and subsidising green inputs would create a smoother path for adoption. Advisory schemes and basic income support can help guide farmers through this shift, helping them maintain yields while meeting sustainability targets.
With 22 per cent of farmers planning to leave the sector within five years – and the average age of European farmers steadily rising – the future of farming rests increasingly on the young generation.
'Not a single farmer wants to give the farm to the next generation in a worse condition than they received it,' said Jens Hartmann, Chair of CropLife Europe.
For younger people to choose farming, the profession must offer more than subsistence. It must offer tools, purpose and a path to profitability.
To achieve this, it is more imperative than ever for policymakers, environmentalists and industry experts on the ground work together to unite theory and practice. This means involving farmers directly in policy design, expanding peer-to-peer learning networks and strengthening agri-cooperatives that ensure fairer value distribution.
Innovative and collaborative models for sustainable farming already exist. In Ireland and Germany, they have proven effective in everything from manure management to shared smart farming technologies. With the right funding, support and access, these successes can be replicated across Europe.
By focusing on real-world delivery and practical solutions, in collaboration with the farming community, European farming could emerge not only more resilient, but renewed.