Greenpeace reveals mega-farm bias in EU agricultural policy

04 October 2024

A Greenpeace briefing, named “Go Big or Go Burst” reveals that, because of the way subsidies are designed, current EU farming policies force farmers to industrialise and produce more, pushing small-scale farmers out of business and reducing rural job opportunities. Researchers found that the number of mega-farms in the EU increased by 56% between 2007 and 2022, while the number of small-scale commercial farms decreased by 44% over the same period.

Read the report here

This system also leads to more pollution, poorer animal welfare, and greater health risks. SAFE calls for fairer policies that support all farmers, including direct income support for farmers. We encourage the new European Commission to explore this option, especially in support of small farmers in disadvantaged rural areas.

Average farm income remains low and volatile. Agricultural policy should better target income support to those who need it most. Targeted and result-oriented environmental payments would also have a positive environmental and social impact and contribute to sustainable food systems.

Along with SAFE’s advocacy activities in the last years, we have trained 140 farmers on more sustainable forms of agriculture.