The third edition of the 'Agricultural Table' event took place on Friday in Grevenmacher, where Minister for Agriculture Martine Hansen met with representatives from the sector.
The main topics on the agenda were the future direction of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy after 2027 and the first steps towards drafting Luxembourg's next agricultural law, which is scheduled for completion by 2028.
While the law is not due for another two years, Minister Hansen stressed the importance of starting preparations early, citing the lengthy procedures required for legislation to be reviewed by the State Council and subsequently passed by the Chamber of Deputies.
Months can pass before such a law comes into effect, which makes timely preparation essential.
However, many aspects of the future European framework remain unclear. One certainty is that the EU budget allocated to agriculture has already been reduced, which is met with concern across the sector.
Christian Hahn, President of the Chamber of Agriculture, acknowledged the challenges this presents. "We are expected to do more with less money", he elucidated.
He also added that the main difficulty is determining whether it’s possible to at least maintain previous funding levels, and preferably to increase it to account for the extra environmental duties being placed on them.
Whether these wishes will ultimately be fulfilled remains uncertain, as negotiations at the European level are still ongoing.
As part of the initial phase of preparing the new agricultural law, the ministry has begun reviewing individual chapters of the existing legislation together with stakeholders. The aim is to determine which elements should be retained and where changes might be needed.
Regarding that topic, Minister Hansen explained that farmers' representatives have said they place importance on continuity instead of "turning everything upside down again".
She adds that surveys consistently show that farmers value predictability. Therefore, if they "completely overhaul the system every seven years, there is no certainty, and no entrepreneur can make long-term plans".
One of the top priorities for the years ahead will be supporting young farmers, which is a crucial issue according to the Chamber of Agriculture.
Forty years ago, Luxembourg had around 4,000 farms; today, that number has dropped to just under 1,800, which mirrors the ongoing challenges of generational renewal in the sector.
