May 9. Europe Day. For some, a formality of flags, speeches and pompous ideals. For me, a day of reflection. Not about abstract concepts such as 'unity' or 'peace', but about the tangible added value of European cooperation. And if there is one sector in which that added value manifests itself crystal clear, it is agriculture.
Anyone who talks about the future of our farmers today must dare to look back. The European Community laid the foundations of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as early as the 60s. What started as a project against hunger and scarcity grew into a stable foundation for European prosperity. Thanks to that policy, Flemish agriculture was able to professionalise, innovate and position itself internationally. Without Europe, our farmers would be much more vulnerable today.
Europe is more than subsidies
Too often, the CAP is reduced to a subsidy machine. That is both unfair and unjust. European support is not a blank check, but a contract. In return, our farmers deliver quality, sustainability, food safety and transparency. Thanks to European regulations, milk in Madrid is just as reliable as in Oostkamp or Westkapelle. That is not self-evident. That is the power of shared standards and trust across borders.
Agriculture as a laboratory of the future
Today, agriculture is once again on the front line – not of a war, but of our greatest societal challenges: climate change, food security and energy dependency. Here too, Europe is showing leadership. Through programmes such as Horizon europe and the Green Deal farmers are supported in innovation: from precision agriculture and drought-resistant crops to carbon farming and circular production. It is European resources that make this possible. Without them, many promising initiatives would remain a dead letter.
Farmer with global impact
What the Flemish/Dutch farmer sows today will have a global impact tomorrow. Our agricultural exports not only bring economic value, but also ethics: respect for people, animals and the environment. Thanks to European standards, we can measure, demonstrate and defend these values. In a world where distrust is growing, this is of inestimable value.
Europe as a compass in stormy weather
Yes, there is criticism. Yes, there are regulations that sometimes pinch. And yes, the interests of a family farmer sometimes clash with those of industrial giants elsewhere in Europe. But in times of geopolitical pressure, food shortages, protectionism and disinformation, Europe is our compass. No farmer survives a season alone. No country faces the future alone.
Together we reap more than we can sow alone
On this Europe Day, I wish our farmers more than strength. I wish them pride. Because they are living proof that European cooperation works – not as an ideal on paper, but as a reality in the field. Anyone who takes agriculture seriously cannot do without Europe. And anyone who takes Europe seriously must continue to recognise agriculture as a strategic sector.
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