A year ago, Luxembourg’s EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen presented his vision for the future of European agriculture. The sector, he argued, must become more attractive, competitive and resilient, not least to encourage more young people to enter the profession. However, 12 months on, young farmers in Luxembourg and MEP Tilly Metz of The Greens (déi Gréng) voiced their critical views.
Last Thursday on a farm in Tandel, a cow was calving in the barn during Charel Ferring’s interview with RTL. Moments like these, Ferring said, are why he believes farming is the most beautiful job in the world. Yet while he considers Hansen’s vision a step in the right direction, EU budget cuts are causing particular concern among young farmers.
Ferring, President of Luxembourg’s Young Farmers and Rural Youth association, pointed to a contradiction. On the one hand, policymakers encourage young people to take over farms and invest in their future. On the other, funding streams that have financially supported many farms and enabled their development in recent years are being reduced, he said, adding: “I think these are issues that place a heavy burden on young people.”
Across Europe, only 12% of farmers are under the age of 40. Innovation and greater resilience are meant to make the profession more appealing. However, significant obstacles remain, according to Ferring.
He said that while subsidies may be available for innovative projects, farmers often struggle with approval procedures or regulatory constraints that limit what they can actually implement. Ferring questioned how politicians can simultaneously demand change and renewal while restricting both traditional and new approaches:
“And that’s where I find it difficult when politicians, in the same breath, say we need more young people. I think it’s clear that somewhere in between, everyone starts telling themselves: this just doesn’t make sense.”
Hansen is widely acknowledged to be present in the field and engaged with farmers, something that works in his favour. However, for Luxembourg MEP Tilly Metz of The Greens (déi gréng), his vision does not go far enough. Metz argued that environmental protection, climate action, and animal welfare receive too little concrete attention. On animal welfare in particular, she said responsibility is often referred to another commissioner, even though agriculture, especially livestock farming and animal transport, plays a central role.
Metz also warned against delegating environmental and animal protection responsibilities to individual EU member states, arguing that this would not be the right approach if Europe is serious about meeting its climate targets.
Speaking with RTL on Monday evening, Hansen reiterated his commitment to making farming more attractive for young people and supporting them, whether through increased financial assistance or reduced bureaucracy. The Mercosur trade agreement was also discussed as part of the broader debate about the future of European agriculture.
