MEP Isabel Carvalhais (S&D) wants to send a “strong political signal” on generational renewal, she told the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee meeting on Wednesday 22 March.
MEPs on the committee heard initial ideas from Isabel Carvalhais about generational renewal on farms within the EU. She is set to present a draft own-initiative report on the subject.
Ms Carvalhais referred to the ageing population among EU farmers, and the fact there are disparities between countries. 58% of farmers in the EU are over 55 years old, which presents a threat to food security and family farming. The concentration of agricultural land is also a problem, according to the rapporteur.
During this exchange of views, several levers were identified, such as the remuneration of farmers, an impact study on the installation of young people, or access to land and credit for the younger generations. Ms Carvalhais also called for public services and mobility to be strengthened.
Anne Sander (EPP, French) spoke of a “worrying” issue: for every farmer under the age of 35, there are more than five over the age of 65 in the EU. Measures are therefore needed to encourage the installation of farmers, she stressed.
For Jérémy Decerle (Renew Europe, French), he is of the opinion that we must not “lose human wealth”. He insisted on the need to allow young farmers to have access to “financial and technical tools” (training) to enter the profession under the best conditions.
Bronis Ropė (Greens/EFA, Lithuanian) raised the problem of income disparities within the EU: in fact, young Baltic farmers sometimes leave their country to settle in other, more attractive EU Member State, he lamented. The average age of farmers in Spain is 61 years, said Mazaly Aguilar (ECR, Spanish). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)