31. #CAP : CAP’s social pillar: the essence of European farming

Agriculture is the lifeblood of rural communities across Europe, but its place at the heart of EU society cannot be taken for granted. Unless farming can attract new practitioners, our rural communities face long-term decline, which has knock-on effects for food security. Furthermore, agriculture can only attract a steady flow of newcomers if it offers a secure livelihood with decent working conditions and a reliable work-life balance. This latest podcast in the ‘Food for Europe’ series looks at the social pillar of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the way in which it seeks to strengthen the resilience of the communities and individuals on whom the stewardship of the countryside – and the production of our food – depends. The podcast looks at two core principles of the CAP social pillar: generational renewal and social conditionality. Our guests on this programme include: young farmers from Austria Johannes Schullern and Christina Proßepper, who recount their path to extra-familial farm succession as a way to enter the profession; Florian Jungreithmeier from Perspektive Landwirtschaft, which assisted Johannes and Christina to find a farm to take over; Doris Letina from the European Council of Young Farmers; Enrico Somaglia from the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions; and DG AGRI officials Margaret Bateson and María Gafo.