CEJA Young Farmers' Gazette | November 2024
Dear CEJA’s LinkedIn Network,
Welcome to the fifth edition of our newsletter, a monthly recap of CEJA’s activities on policy, projects, events, and the incredible contributions of European young farmers. We hope this format continues to keep you informed and engaged, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments section.
It is hard to summarise November, a month packed with impactful events and developments across CEJA:
Internally, with focused planning and coordination to advance CEJA’s strategic goals for young farmers in the coming year. The CEJA Seminar in Salzburg, co-hosted by LJÖ and JLW, stood out as a highlight, bringing together young farmers and stakeholders from across Europe to address shared challenges and opportunities.
On the side of institutions, marked by the European Parliament’s approval of the new College of Commissioners, led by President von der Leyen. This milestone signals the beginning of a new political cycle, where the importance of Generational Renewal in agriculture has been reaffirmed as a key priority for ensuring a sustainable, competitive and inclusive agricultural sector across Europe.
In the relationship with other stakeholders and project partners, featuring CEJA’s active role in the EU-FarmBook Consortium Meeting in Maastricht, where innovative approaches to knowledge sharing in agriculture were discussed.
As always, CEJA remains committed to amplifying the voices of young farmers and shaping the future of agriculture.
CEJA Seminar in Salzburg: Empowering young farmers in Austria
From 7th to 9th November 2024, CEJA held a landmark seminar in Salzburg, Austria, co-hosted by our Member Organisations LJÖ (Landjugend Österreich) and JLW (Junglandwirte), bringing together young farmers, policymakers, and agricultural experts from across Europe. This seminar served as a platform for meaningful discussions, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative solutions for the challenges facing European agriculture.
One of the seminar’s key highlights was the Working Group discussions, where participants addressed files such as the Vision for the future of Agriculture and Food, the upcoming generational renewal action plan, the future of the livestock sector vision and the future EU Multiannual Financial Framework. The delegates of CEJA member organisations provided valuable inputs that will enable CEJA to continue its intense work on these dossiers. Another big focus was the continuation of CEJA’s position paper on the CAP post-2027.
The last day was dedicated to a field trip to mountain farms in the Eastern Alps, which gave a better understanding of why Austria’s agriculture very much relies on multifunctionality and part-time farming. With 80% of “Less Favoured Areas” (LFAs) in Austria, it can be challenging and costly to farm. This has contributed to a high proportion of part-time farmers. Many of them combine agriculture with other jobs to secure their livelihoods, as solely relying on farming income from “LFA land” is often not viable. This part time farming helps preserve rural landscapes, maintain infrastructures, as well as the traditional agricultural practices.
Participants visited the Götzbauernhof and the Wimmerbauer of the Flatscher family, in Unken: two hay-milk and agritourism farms, where the famous but endangered Pinzgauer cows are reared. Cows are fed with hay and fresh grass, with no fermented feeds such as silage. The Salzburg region is a significant producer of hay milk (“Heumilch”), and this method is deeply rooted in the area’s alpine agricultural heritage.
The seminar provided ample opportunities for even more networking and cultural exchange, such as the guided tour of the Winklhof Agricultural Vocational School and the dinner at Stiegl-Keller Brewery, in presence of Georg Strasser (Member of the Austrian Parliament, President of Bauernbund), Nikolaus Berlakovich (1st Vice-President of Copa), Alexander Bernhüber (Member of the European Parliament), Nicole Leitner (Salzburger Seminarbäurinnen). These informal settings allowed participants to strengthen connections and share experiences.
Once again, CEJA is thankful for the opportunity provided by JLW, LJÖ and their Presidents Carina Reiter and Valentina Gutkas.
CEJA’s Week on Financial Instruments: Unlocking opportunities for young farmers
From 25th to 29th November, CEJA hosted its Week on Financial Instruments (#CEJAFIsweek), a campaign dedicated to tackling the financial challenges faced by young farmers and putting a spotlight on the potential of financial instruments to improve access to finance for the next generation of European farmers.
A centerpiece of the week was the European Investment Bank’s Pan-European Agricultural Programme, celebrated as a vital step in addressing the financial barriers young farmers face when starting or expanding their activity. CEJA Vice President Rūdolfs Pulkstenis described the program as a “building block” for equipping young farmers with the tools they need to succeed.
As part of #CEJAFIsweek, participated in the 10th Annual Conference on EAFRD Financial Instruments in Madrid, Spain. Vice President Pulkstenis represented CEJA during the opening panel, emphasising the importance of public and private sector collaboration:
"Our investments in agriculture go hand in hand with other cohesion investments made by the public sector. If we make it possible for young people to invest in rural areas, by providing infrastructure and services and creating the right toolbox, we will not only achieve our objectives in agriculture but also give impulse to our rural economies."
The week featured the publication of an opinion piece by Vice President Pulkstenis titled “Financing a Future in Agriculture: The Number One Challenge of Young Farmers.” The article highlights the critical barriers young farmers face in accessing finance and calls for tailored financial tools and stronger collaboration between institutions to ensure generational renewal and the sustainability of Europe’s agricultural sector. You can read it here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/financing-future-agriculture-number-kkdbe/?trackingId=TfxWvLdTQ0uqwqUt2DTy9A%3D%3D
CEJA at the EU-FarmBook Consortium Meeting in Maastricht
CEJA participated in the third EU-FarmBook Consortium Meeting, held in Maastricht, where partners gathered to discuss progress, share insights, and set the stage for future developments. This meeting brought together a wide range of stakeholders committed to bridging the gap between research and practical solutions in agriculture.
Key highlights from the meeting included:
Progress Review and Future Steps: Partners assessed the current state of the EU-FarmBook platform and outlined priorities for the coming months, ensuring that the platform will be a dynamic tool for farmers and rural communities.
Exciting New Features: The meeting introduced upcoming functionalities to be launched in the coming months, aiming to enhance the accessibility and usability of the platform for users across Europe.
The EU-FarmBook is a critical initiative that compiles practical solutions from EU-funded research and innovation projects, providing valuable resources to farmers, foresters, and other rural stakeholders. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, the platform helps to translate research into actionable practices, supporting sustainable and innovative agricultural practices.
CEJA’s involvement underscores its commitment to empowering young farmers with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving sector. For more information on the EU-FarmBook, visit the platform here: https://eufarmbook.eu/en
Congratulations to the New College of Commissioners
CEJA warmly congratulates the new College of Commissioners, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, following its approval by the European Parliament. This new political cycle brings fresh opportunities to advance key priorities for young farmers across Europe.
A special focus is extended to Christophe Hansen, the new Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, who has expressed a strong commitment to making Generational Renewal a central pillar of his agenda, with a dedicated action plan to be built “in collaboration with young farmers”. CEJA welcomes this priority and stand ready to work closely with the Commissioner and his team.
Thank you for reading this edition of CEJA’s newsletter. November was a month of progress, collaboration, and impactful initiatives, from the Seminar in Salzburg to #CEJAFIsweek and the EU-FarmBook Consortium.
We remain dedicated to advocating for young farmers and shaping a sustainable future for European agriculture. Stay tuned for more updates, and let’s continue working together to drive meaningful change.
The CEJA Team