Constructive exchanges with representatives of the agricultural, viticultural and horticultural professions at the "Agrarsommet"

The agenda included the current economic situation in agriculture, the future of young farmers, the state of legislative work on the Agriculture law, the volatility of the markets for agricultural products and issues relating to environmental protection. Several stakeholders stressed the importance of having a national strategy to ensure the ecological transition in the agricultural sector.

During very constructive discussions, the ministers present reiterated the government's support for Luxembourg's agriculture, horticulture and viticulture. The future law on the sustainable development of rural areas, commonly referred to as the "Agriculture law", aims to ensure the sustainability of an agricultural sector that is largely run by family farms and provides incentives to better take into account environmental requirements and the fragility of our ecosystem.

At the end of the meeting it was agreed that the Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development will remain in permanent contact with the agricultural sector in order to accompany it in the implementation of the new provisions of the future land law. Claude Haagen stressed that his services will closely monitor the fragile and volatile situation of agricultural markets, in order to be able to react quickly in case of a sudden deterioration of the agricultural activity. The Minister of Agriculture is confident that the future Agriculture law for the period 2023-2027 will succeed in ensuring a fair income for producers, supporting their competitiveness, guaranteeing them predictability, providing better support for sectors in difficulty and further diversifying domestic agricultural production.

Minister Joëlle Welfring reassured the representatives of the agricultural sector that her ministry will support the sector in its efforts to introduce cultivation and breeding methods adapted to the specific environmental situation of our country, particularly with regard to the protection of water and biodiversity. New standards and future regulations will be developed through an open dialogue where all proposals will be heard.

At the suggestion of the Prime Minister and the young farmers, it was agreed to set up a think tank ("Zukunftsdësch Landwirtschaft") to look at issues relating to the family farm of the future and the environmental, economic and social conditions that need to be taken into account. The results should animate and stimulate discussions, both in Luxembourg and at EU level.

Communicated by the Ministry of State, the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development and the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development