EU Common Agricultural Policy faces budget cuts and push for generational renewal

Spain’s State Secretary of Agriculture and Food, Begoña García Bernal, told a ministerial meeting of Mediterranean states in Zadar, Croatia, that the EU’s 2028‑2034 Common Agricultural Policy should allocate 10% of its funds to generational renewal. She highlighted national programmes such as Cultiva, Tierra Joven, the forthcoming Family Farming Law and the LEADER scheme to support young farmers, women and new families in rural areas.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned in Cork that without additional resources the EU will have to either raise member‑state contributions or cut the CAP, potentially by up to 40%. She linked the funding shortfall to broader budget pressures affecting cohesion and structural funds, and noted upcoming initiatives on livestock strategy and a plant‑protein action plan.

Both statements underscore the tension between preserving a “sacred” CAP budget and the need to modernise European agriculture and secure its future workforce.