European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen has said that the future funding under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should be directed more towards young farmers, as well as smaller farms and family farms.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels today (Wednesday, February 19), the commissioner addressed the issue of how the next CAP will feed into the EU's new Vision for Agriculture and Food, which was published today.

The commissioner noted that the pot of funding for CAP is already confined by what will be available under the EU's long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which will, along with the CAP, be revised and renewed after 2027.

"We need to focus the restricted amount of money we have at our disposal. We don't even know what we will have exactly in the next MFF, so it needs really to get to where it is most needed," Commissioner Hansen said.

He added: "For me, where it is most needed is definitely the young farmers. Smaller and family-sized farms will be very crucial as well.

"Therefore, we need to discuss again, as we did this already in the last [CAP] reform, about degressivity, because when you have a farm of 5ha, you don’t have the same needs as a farm of 5,000ha," he said.

This approach to CAP is an idea the commissioner also floated in November when he was quizzed by MEPs prior to taking up the role of commissioner.

Reiterating his stance on degressive payments under CAP today, he said: "There is an economy of scale that is playing in and I think this needs to be reflected. I know that that discussion will be tough again but I think as well we have a really strong push by civil society."

According to the commissioner, there is a negative public perception about how CAP funds are distributed, due to the fact that some 80% of CAP direct payments go to around 20% of recipients.

"We have this '80-20' discussion out there. Everybody, as well, believes this is not fair and I think we have really to work more towards a farm-based support and move away from the simple hectare payments," he said.

On CAP payments for young farmers, Commissioner Hansen said: "But I think as well, the young farmers have to be better supported to grant them the uptake into this difficult profession, a risky profession, and we have to de-risk it, because very clearly they already face a lot of problems when it comes, for example, to access to finance.

"Often banks don't give loans because they say to the farmers this is too risky a business...and this is something where we need to support the young generation and the newcomers in the job," he added.