Since the EMB was founded fifteen years ago, we have been struggling – sometimes more, sometimes less successfully – to generate a revenue that would allow us and our families a decent life. 2022 was a better year – despite the fact that our production costs sky-rocketed. In Belgium, we had farm-gate prices of almost 60 cents per litre. Why is it then that over four months, this price paid to producers has fallen by 30% and is now at 36 cents per litre? While it is true that our price is closely linked to butter and milk powder exports, they have reduced by only 10% (4,564 euros/t for butter, 3,375 euros/t for milk powder). Something doesn’t add up.

At the recent milk producer fair in Battice, MIG used its traditional bottle of milk to show that there was a cost coverage shortfall of 8.4 cents per kilo in the second quarter of 2023 (see MIG article below).

The closer we get to the fateful date of 2030 under the Green Deal, the clearer it is becoming that milk and meat represent half the agricultural production value in Belgium. However, over the last two decades, the dairy herd has shrunk by 30%, the number of farmers has reduced by more than 60% and farmer income is inadequate and unstable. Furthermore, the many challenges raise real questions about the future of livestock farming: climate change, animal welfare, biodiversity protection and preserving landscapes...

With so many open issues, the future of our farms is uncertain. Do we need to champion productivism and implement new technologies? Should we highlight the quality of our products? Should we focus on feed autonomy, on-farm processing, the creation of real producer cooperatives that work to establish Fair Milk projects in their countries? What repercussions will these changes have on our profession as livestock and dairy farmers? 

In Belgium, MIG participated in a public survey looking to decode the expectations and difficulties faced by young people entering the farming sector. I think that our different countries across Europe are facing the same issues. Generational renewal and passing on farms are the biggest concerns in the agricultural sector. I think these two striking figures illustrate my point: 68% of farmers are over 50 years old and only 22% know who will take over from them. When talking about the future of our farms, perhaps the EMB should call on the European Commission to set a cap on how much agricultural land industry giants can acquire, so that they can no longer grab our lands while claiming that they themselves have become farmers (some even claim to be ACTIVE farmers) and are now eligible for CAP subsidies. I would like to mention the agricultural land grabbing in Germany by Aldi (more than 30,000 hectares) as well as in Belgium by the Colruyt group. But there are many other examples out there of financial models that have nothing to do with primary agricultural production.

It is our duty to put an end to this immediately if we want our profession to be upheld in its entirety as we know it today. Let’s remain committed and show civil society that with their support, we can take things in our own hands and offer sustainable, fair, viable and eco-friendly agriculture that protects the environment for our future generations.

Guy Francq, member of the EMB Executive Committee