For European farmers and businesses, continuing with the current situation is no longer viable if they want to avoid climate collapse and economic difficulty.

This is the central message from a joint report delivered to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday 4. The report, which followed seven months of intensive negotiations among 29 organisations with varied and often conflicting perspectives on the agri-food sector, highlights the urgent need for change.

Von der Leyen initiated the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture earlier this year to address farmer discontent over low incomes and increasing environmental regulations before the June EU election. This led to some swift concessions to farm lobbies, which in turn sparked frustration among environmental NGOs and progressive lawmakers.

MORE NEWS | £10K fundraiser from rescued Scotch Mulelambs

MORE NEWS | Strathclyde's RHASS Presidency: tackling net zero challenges

“We must and we will do more to protect our farmers and to make the agrifood system more resilient, more competitive — but most importantly also more sustainable.” Von der Leyen stated as she received the report from Peter Strohschneider, a German academic who moderated the roundtable.

Von der Leyen intends to integrate the dialogue’s findings into her vision for the future of EU agriculture. Her priorities include ‘fair and adequate incomes for farmers, an agriculture that works for and with nature, and a system that operates through incentives’.

Producing a 100-page consensus report with input from farm lobbyists and green NGOs, here are the top five takeaways:

*Farm Subsidies - The report tackles the contentious €300 billion-plus EU farm subsidy budget, recommending a shift from supporting large farms to focusing on those with lower incomes. The current area-based scheme has faced criticism for years, but changes have been slow. For the first time, there is agreement that income support should target small- and medium-sized farmers, who are the majority in the EU.

However, this income support should not be linked to additional environmental regulations. Instead, a separate set of payments should reward farmers who implement sustainable practices, managed by both agricultural and environmental authorities. The report also calls for a significant annual increase in environmental support.

*Sustainable Food Systems - The report addresses sustainable diets and meat consumption, emphasising the need to reduce animal-based proteins like meat and dairy in favour of plant-based alternatives. It also recommends reviewing EU food labelling laws and addressing food marketing to children, along with promoting tax reductions and other incentives. The goal is for sustainable choices to become the default.

The Commission had planned to introduce a sustainable food systems framework but postponed it amid debates.

*Emissions - Agriculture contributes over 10% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily from livestock. Despite the EU's commitment to cut GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030, no specific targets have been set for agriculture.

The report suggests setting tailored emissions reduction goals for various types of agriculture and proposes regional action plans for high-concentration livestock areas, including buyout schemes and reskilling programs for young farmers.

*Environmental Law - The report supports controversial EU environmental bills, including one for rehabilitating degraded ecosystems, and calls for a well-resourced nature restoration fund outside the farm budget.

It also highlights the need to update outdated animal welfare rules and advocates for a ban on farm cages, with a species-specific transition period. Additionally, it proposes an EU-wide benchmark for assessing farm sustainability and a transition fund to support a shift to a healthier, more climate-friendly agri-food sector.

*This is Just the Beginning - The report's recommendations are not final. Von der Leyen has pledged to incorporate the dialogue’s results into a Vision for Agriculture and Food during her first 100 days. However, some recommendations may face resistance, and the broader food and agriculture sector's support is uncertain. The report's conclusions have touched on contentious issues for powerful farming groups and may have been cautious on matters strongly supported by green NGOs.

A new consultative body, the European Board for Agri Food (EBAF), has been proposed to continue discussions.