Europe's farmers deserve recognition and support 13 Europe’s farmers deserve recognition and support CHRISTOPHE HANSEN European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Food and farming are vital for Europe's people, economy and society. As we lay the foundations for the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027, we will continue to recognise the vital role that farmers play as food producers, stewards of the countryside and backbone for our rural communities. Although the EU budget is changing in how it functions, our commitment to farmers is unwavering. The CAP will remain a cornerstone of EU funding, as it always has been. It will be simpler, more targeted and focused on results. It will have more impact on farms and in the fields. And it will guarantee farmers a fair income so they can continue producing safe and affordable food for millions of Europeans. To that end, we have fully ring-fenced at least €300 billion for income support and crisis management. This is a minimum amount. It is not subject to flexibilities, it does not change; it is dedicated for farmers, who will not feel a difference in the CAP support they receive. For Portugal, this represents a minimum of €7.4 billion. The future CAP will give Europe's farmers the predictability and stability that they need for the years ahead. It protects their income and EUfunded support so that they can plan and invest for the future with greater confidence. And we have incorporated a new method for inflation adjustment to shield them from price volatility and income erosion. Our proposals also make sure that financial support will go to those who need it most, like small and family-sized farms. The future CAP will give Europe's farmers the predictability and stability that they need for the years ahead. It protects their income and EUfunded support so that they can plan and invest for the future with greater confidence. And as part of our work to get more young people working in agriculture, young and new farmers will receive more support to set up farms. Given that the EU farmer’s average age is 57 – and under 12% of farmers aged below 40 – the sector urgently needs generational renewal to sustain family traditions and farming vitality. This issue is even more pressing in Portugal with only 6.4% of farmers who are below 40 years old. We will ask all Member States to do a national strategy for generational renewal and allocate 6% of their CAP funding to this objective. Today, the CAP is based on two funding streams. To make this simpler, we propose merging them into one coherent set of instruments. No overlaps, one common policy – with one set of measures – that will apply to farmers as well as to rural development. Preserving Europe's rural areas and making them attractive places to live and work is of paramount importance. Not only for our food security and wider security, but also for the very future of Europe's agriculture and farming. These regions, spread far and wide across Europe, protect our continent's beauty, environment and traditions. We need to keep them lively, dynamic and populated. The new CAP will maintain this as a key priority, using its familiar instruments to reinforce rural innovation and entrepreneurship.
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