• The EU's War on Farming
  • 18:00, Monday 27th November
  • Press Club Brussels

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“Never hungry again!” was the motto of European agricultural policy after the devastations of the Second World War. Plentiful, secure and affordable food was the goal of European agricultural policy. Although European farming has not been without issues, the policy has been broadly successful: not only could the EU feed itself, but it was able to support the needs of a growing population globally. 

Today, Europe’s leaders have abandoned these goals. Instead, farming is subordinated to the increasingly radical demands of environmentalists. Farmers must now cut emissions, conserve nature, protect water and wildlife, and much more. Hundreds of farmers across the continent have been bankrupted by these policies, and thousands more imperilled. It seems as if EU elites have forgotten who provides the food which they enjoy in Brussels’ restaurants.

But today, a radical pushback against these disastrous policies seems to be beginning. Farmers’ parties are gaining ground across Europe. Consumers protest the inflating cost of food. And the Ukraine war reminds us all of the importance of food security. 

How have European elites become so detached from the reality of food and farming? Why are farmers singled out for such stringent environmental regulations? Can we find a balance between climate protection and feeding the population? Is a genuine pushback beginning, and should we champion it?

Join MCC Brussels for an open debate on the way forward for Europe’s farmers, featuring a presentation of our new report, the story of two of Europe’s many imperilled farmers, and more. 

Speakers: 

  • Daisy and Gunter Klaasen, poultry farmers, Turnhouts Vennengebied region
  • Richard Schenk, research fellow, MCC Brussels; author MCC Brussels’ report, ‘The EU’s War on Farming’
  • Fernand Keuleneer, specialist, EU agricultural law; attorney, Keuleneer advocaten-avocats

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