Young Belgian farmer Matteo Godfriaux hopes one day to take over the family farm, a mixed crop-livestock operation boasting around 40 dairy cows in Dion-le-Mont not far from Brussels.
“It’s in our blood,” the 23-year-old explains.
He plans to be a “helper” for two years, a status that allows him to train in the field and maximize his chances of accessing financial aid, necessary to take over the management of the business.
“When you are 23 years old and you want to take over a farm, I don’t think the bank will agree to give you a loan of €1 million to €1.5 million, if not more, which is in itself not really profitable,” he told Euronews.
In addition to taking over family farms, young farmers also face difficulties in accessing suitable land.
“We are talking about a hectare at €100,000 to produce a cereal at €150 euros per tonne and I only do 10 tons per year on one hectare. €1,500 per year to reimburse €100,000, it’s challenging when there are the tractors and all the rest of it to pay,” explains Matteo.
New generation
Across the European Union, only 12% of farmers are under the age of 40. The average age is 57 and that aging population of farmers presents a risk for food security, the European Commission has warned.
On 21 October, it presented a strategy to support “generational renewal” in agriculture.
The challenge is daunting: the Commission has set itself the objective of doubling the proportion of young farmers in the EU by 2040 to reach 24%.
It proposes to include in the next common agricultural policy (CAP) a “starter pack” of up to €300,000 to help young farmers get started.
The Commission also recommends that European countries devote at least 6% of their agricultural expenditure to measures designed to support young farmers.
Other measures include the opening of the Erasmus programme for young entrepreneurs to farmers and the creation of a European land observatory to promote access to land, support farm transfers and prevent land speculation.
The EU also wants to create “farm relief services” that replace farmers during illness, holidays or caregiving. A service that already exists in Belgium, Matteo Godfriaux says.
Furthermore, the EU notes that diversification of agricultural activities through agri-tourism, on-farm processing and bioenergy could expand farmers’ sources of income.
“On-farm processing is good. But it’s still extra work when the days are already busy,” Godfriaux says. His family uses the milk they produce from their dairy herd to produce other products like yogurts and ice cream.
Regarding bioenergy, Godfriaux does not plan to transform his corn crops into biofuel.
“Ecologically, I don’t really see the point of doing that when I could put a cereal or another product that is intended for human consumption,” he says.
Fair prices
For Matteo, the best way to encourage young people to start or stay in agriculture is to ensure fair prices.
“We come back to the same thing: the prices. The debate will end. We will be paid properly, it will motivate people again. It’s because we are always in it and that we are passionate. But producing milk at 40 cents when it costs us 50 cents, go motivate someone to do it,” he says.
“From my grandfather, to my father, to me, we are paid at the same price for milk almost. And the tractor prices have quadrupled,” he adds.
He believes that consumers have an important role to play in promoting local products.
“If we eat Belgian, we will favour Belgian products, Belgian products will be better paid (…) it will bounce off and normally it should be a little better,” he said.