Encourage young farmers

The 10^th EPP European Congress of Young Farmers took place today in the European Parliament, bringing together a record audience of 500 participants. Started in 2012 by Members of the EPP Group, the event has become a landmark in the agriculture calendar. 

"As we start this new mandate, we must ensure that agriculture stays attractive for the next generation of young farmers. This congress offers an important opportunity for us policymakers to discuss key challenges like generational renewal, water management, and innovation, to ensure a resilient, sustainable future for European agriculture," said  Herbert Dorfmann MEP, Jessika Van Leeuwen MEP, Paulo do Nascimento Cabral MEP and Carmen Crespo Díaz who hosted the congress. 

With the number of farmers in the European Union dropping by nearly 30% since 2005 and the number of young farmers (under 44 years old) by over 30%, from 3.3 million in 2005 to 2.3 million in 2017, the EU's agriculture sector heavily relies on a diminishing and ageing population. 

Over 31% of all farms in the EU are run by farmers over the age of 65, while young farmers account for only 6%. The situation is even worse in some countries, such as Portugal, Spain, Italy and Bulgaria. In this context, the European Congress of Young Farmers was created to encourage young people to stay in agriculture and share know-how and innovative solutions to the similar problems they face across Europe.