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Despite protests and political promises, Europe’s farmers remain under pressure. But a more resilient, innovative agricultural future is still possible – if the right steps are taken.
One year on from mass mobilisation across Europe, farmers continue to face rising input costs, stagnating incomes and growing uncertainty. Over 50 per cent of farmers are pessimistic about their future, with many dissatisfied by the pace and direction of EU policy reform – so much so that over half are prepared to take to the streets again.
But beyond the frustration lies a roadmap for recovery. Farmers’ Horizon 2025, a newly published Ipsos study commissioned by CropLife Europe, reveals not only the challenges but also the solutions farmers say they need to turn things around.
What farmers want: a vision for the future
Achieving sustainable growth in European farming depends on EU authorities listening to and acting on the concerns of Europe’s farmers. The Ipsos survey offers a representative outlook of nearly 2,000 farmers across nine EU member states, providing insight on what farmers need to regain optimism in the profession.
Unsurprisingly, economic relief was cited as the number one priority for 82 per cent of farmers, with calls for improved access to loans or subsidies, as well as fairer redistribution of profits across the value chain, to help them stay afloat in challenging times.
Additionally, 57 per cent want reduced red tape and fewer bureaucratic hurdles, while one in three urge better access to research and effective tools, particularly crop protection products and digital technologies. Others, such as those in Romania, called for faster support payments and better facilitation of sustainability schemes.
A related Euronews debate, Farmers’ Horizon: Sustainability, Innovation and the Toolbox, brought together representatives and policymakers to dig deeper into the study’s findings, shaping direction for future policy. Here’s what they found:
Bridging the innovation gap: access and ambition
Despite growing interest in digital tools – such as decision-support systems, satellite imagery and autonomous equipment – adoption remains low, averaging just 20–30 per cent. The biggest hurdle to adoption is cost, with two-thirds of surveyed farmers saying they lack the financial means to invest in new technologies.
Farmers also cite regulatory delays and a lack of transitional support as key obstacles to adoption, suggesting that while digital tools hold huge promise, most farmers remain locked out of opportunities without enhanced financial and advisory support.
Sector representatives and environmental policymakers referred to the need for practical, results-based eco schemes, advisory services and targeted funding to balance productivity with environmental and digital ambitions.
Several EU-funded initiatives, such as Horizon Europe and the EU CAP Network, are already working to bridge this gap. Success stories from countries like Sweden – where manure management programmes are boosting both sustainability and income – point to what’s possible when innovation meets practical support.
Cutting red tape to increase competitiveness
Red tape also came out as a persistent barrier to competitiveness. Over half of farmers surveyed want simpler regulations and reduced administrative burdens, enabling them to focus resources on innovation and sustainability.
Regulatory delays also present a challenge for crop protection. Though farmers face increasing pressure from pests and diseases, one in three reported difficulty accessing standard crop protection products, particularly in Spain and Germany.
Hansen agreed this was a matter for EU policy to address: “We are very quick to take off active substances from the market but we are very slow on delivering the alternatives,” he said. “In the United States, [biopesticide authorisation] is done in less than 12 months. In Europe, it takes five to eight years.”
Weathering uncertainty – farmers on the climate frontline
Extreme weather events and climatic changes, from floods and droughts to unseasonal frosts and changing rainfall patterns, are increasingly disrupting Europe’s agricultural output. As such, climate-related stressors are now daily realities for many European farmers.
According to the study, 26 per cent of farmers ranked extreme weather and climatic events among their top five difficulties in 2025, placing the concern just behind regulatory burdens and low market prices. In Poland and Romania this issue was particularly pronounced, with Romanian farmers citing it as their leading difficulty.
Climate disruptions not only affect yield but also compound financial stress, especially when insurance mechanisms, recovery funding or early-warning systems fall short.
Panellists agreed that environmental resilience must be built into the farming model. Théo Paquet, Senior Policy Officer for Agriculture at the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) drove home the point. “If we want farmers to produce food in 20, 30, 40 years, protecting our soils needs to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds,” he said.
That means supporting risk-mitigation practices such as diversified cropping, improved irrigation, regenerative farming and soil monitoring. Crucially, it also means designing eco schemes that reward long-term sustainability and forward-thinking ambition, not just compliance.
Farmers are not resisting green measures. In fact, they’re asking for systems that make climate adaptation feasible, both financially and practically. That is why, all eyes will be on the hotly awaited European Commission’s Water Resilience Strategy, due to be published in early June 2025. In it, farmers will be looking for clear local guidance alongside ambitious measures that address water-related challenges and promote more equitable and efficient resource management, particularly for farmers in drought-prone or mountainous regions.
A cautiously optimistic outlook
From both the report and the debate, it was clear that farmers are not against environmental action – but they want it to work in practice.
The Ipsos study and subsequent discussion revealed a sector with a strong sense of purpose and clarity on what it needs. With coordinated action that heeds farmers’ concerns, Europe’s farming sector can move from crisis to confidence.
When asked to summarise how the future of farming can be secured, Jens Hartmann, Chair of CropLife Europe was clear: “incentivisation, simplicity and innovation,” he confirmed.
As Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) adjustments are debated in Brussels, the next chapter for Europe’s farmers is as yet unclear. Whether it’s one of decline or renewal depends on the willingness of decision-makers to listen, invest and act.
Discover the full Farmers’ Horizon 2025 report.
