Brussels, 8 May 2025 — Under the banner “Shaping the Future of Farming and the Agri-Food Sector”, the Vision Conference held in Brussels brought together policymakers, farmers, civil society actors, financial institutions, and experts from across Europe for an in-depth dialogue on the future of European agriculture. The event, held at The Square, Mont des Arts, served not only as a strategic checkpoint but also as a launching point for new ideas and commitments to renew the agri-food sector ahead of the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including promoting circular farming approaches that limit waste and restore nutrient exchange across urban and rural landscapes.
The conference set out three primary objectives:
- to continue engaging stakeholders in the Vision roadmap;
- to collect feedback on core initiatives;
- to open a space for constructive discussion on how the CAP should evolve in the years to come.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen opened the event via video message, striking a tone of ambition and urgency. She emphasized the Commission’s commitment to cutting red tape in agricultural policy, promoting fair prices for farmers, and advancing generational renewal. “Less paperwork and more trust”, she declared, are key to delivering what she called “a true wave of simplification”.
She further emphasized the importance of participatory policymaking: “It’s your chance to shape Europe’s agricultural policy so that it reflects your priorities”, she stated, underlining the vital role each EU member state plays in steering the future of agriculture.
Key issues such as access to land, the transition to bio-based agriculture, environmental sustainability, financial viability, intersecting with generational renewal emerged as the central themes throughout the day.
The morning plenary sessions, moderated by journalist Tamsin Rose, kicked off with Commissioner Christophe Hansen, who delivered a keynote underlining the importance of a resilient, fair, and competitive agri-food sector. As he pointed out, agriculture receives approximately 63% of the EU’s total funding, a significant foundation that, he argued, must be more effectively targeted to promote renewable practices, ensure land access for young farmers, and strengthen climate resilience across the sector. Therefore, he called for investments in circular agriculture—including nutrient recovery, reduced reliance on synthetic inputs, and stronger rural-urban cooperation—all of which align with P2Green’s mission to transform linear nutrient flows into closed loops through the 3R principle: Reduce, Reuse, Recover.
Other key voices included Polish Minister Czesław Siekierski, MEP Eric Sargiacomo, and EESC’s Peter Schmidt, who collectively pushed for an innovation-driven and climate-conscious agricultural model. Spanish Minister Luis Planas Puchades insisted that profitability is essential for sustainability, while Italian Minister Francesco Lollobrigida reaffirmed the foundational role of crop and livestock production and highlighted Italy’s €11 billion Generazione Terra program to boost youth involvement in agriculture.
The potential of organic farming, particularly among younger generations, was another focal point. With only 10–12% of EU farmers under 40, compared to 21% in organic farming, Lollobrigida emphasized its appeal due to its blend of tradition and modernity, lower chemical dependence, and intellectual engagement. Still, he noted challenges around scalability and called for supportive long-term policies and improved land access.
Financing was also central to the discussions. EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti highlighted €62 billion in agricultural investments in 2022, including €8 billion for the bioeconomy and €3 billion to support young farmers’ land purchases.
A key example of this strategy in action was the EIB’s third agriculture loan agreement, recently signed with France after similar efforts in Italy and Portugal.
These instruments also offer pathways to scale circular nutrient systems by funding wastewater treatment innovation, enabling safe reuse of urban-derived nitrogen and phosphorus in agriculture.
Adding to the momentum was Anne van Leeuwen, a young Dutch farmer and influencer, who shared her personal experience navigating the agricultural sector. Her speech conveyed genuine enthusiasm for rural life, emphasizing that the aspiration to work in agriculture should be valued and encouraged, not dismissed. Her story highlighted the emotional and cultural significance of farming for younger generations.
Q&A Session: Investing in innovation and sustainability in agriculture
A dynamic Q&A session touched on reconciling tradition with innovation, including investment in cultivated meat and sustainable livestock practices. Austrian Minister Norbert Totschnig responded with a preview of upcoming animal welfare legislation and presented Austria’s Innovation Farm as a model for rural development. Both he and Lollobrigida stressed the importance of evolving livestock systems to balance quality, sustainability, and public health.
Throughout the day, references were made to the broader European Green Deal, tying agricultural transformation to climate goals for 2050. The conference’s holistic vision included not just economics and environment, but also education, research, and the integration of artificial intelligence in farming, positioning agriculture as a field where Europe could become a global leader. In climate-smart agriculture, one of the central themes throughout the debate, some key priorities for the future include reducing emissions, protecting waterways from runoff, and enhancing soil health.
In his closing remarks, Pierre Bascou, Deputy Director-General of DG AGRI, reaffirmed the European Commission’s commitment to fostering a profitable, inclusive, and sustainable agriculture sector. The event concluded with a networking session that reinforced a shared vision for a circular agri-food future, one that reconnects urban and rural systems, regenerates ecosystems, and eliminates nutrient pollution by design.
