European Farmers Congress addresses food security in Stockholm

The European Farmers Congress, organized by Copa-Cogeca in collaboration with the Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF), took place in Stockholm from October 14–16. Approximately 400 delegates and 54 speakers gathered to address critical challenges facing European agriculture, including competitiveness, resilience, food security, production costs, innovation, and generational renewal.

Discussions focused on the vulnerability of agricultural production to extreme weather events following a catastrophic summer, as well as the economic pressures caused by geopolitical instability, trade tensions, and inflation. Agnieszka Maliszewska, President of the Polish Milk Chamber and first Vice-President of Cogeca, emphasized the need for resilience in countries near armed conflicts, suggesting that cooperatives could serve as vital links in the food security chain through improved financing mechanisms.

The congress concluded with the signing of the Stockholm Declaration, which advocates for the protection of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget and calls for agriculture to be recognized as a fundamental pillar of European security and readiness.