The Free Luxembourg Farmers' Association (FLB) has called for a balanced approach to environmental and nature protection measures, insisting that these goals should not be pitted against the need for food production.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday morning, FLB representatives highlighted the significant and growing pressures on farming businesses in Luxembourg, and outlined several structural challenges that must be addressed to safeguard the sector's future.
One of the main concerns raised by the FLB is the government's policy of purchasing farmland for ecological compensation measures. According to Jürgen Alberts from the association, this practice means agriculture "loses out twice": first when land is taken out of production for building or development, and again when further land is reallocated for environmental offsetting, reducing the area available for food production.
The association also pointed out that land prices have soared in recent years, making it increasingly difficult for farmers to acquire or maintain productive acreage. Over the past decade, the government has reportedly purchased 880 hectares of farmland for compensation schemes, pushing prices even higher and limiting farmers' options.
Transparency is another issue: the FLB criticised the lack of clarity about who manages the land after it is bought by the state. The association is demanding that both the owner and the tenant be involved in the process whenever land is acquired by the government, rather than tenants simply being notified by letter after the fact.
The FLB also expressed disappointment at the lack of cooperation between the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, particularly regarding efforts to reduce ammonia and methane emissions.
Alain Schaack of the FLB argued that farmers have already made considerable efforts to reduce emissions, and warned against blanket measures such as indiscriminate reductions in livestock numbers. He stressed that simply reducing herds is not an effective solution to climate and pollution concerns; instead, improvements should focus on animal husbandry and manure management practices.
Another point of criticism was the top-down implementation of biodiversity measures on farmland. Ronny Goedert of the FLB questioned the logic of imposing extensive management on highly productive meadows if there is little chance of achieving significant gains in biodiversity.
In light of these concerns, the FLB is calling for greater involvement and consultation with farmers in the development and implementation of both environmental and biodiversity policies.
