Midlands NorthWest MEP Ciaran Mullooly is warning that young farmers will be lost to the sector, unless Europe makes farming financially viable.
The local Independent Ireland MEP says the ageing profile of farmers is a serious concern, with just 4.5 percent in Ireland under 35 - and facing barriers like access to land and a stable income.
He says the next CAP and EU budget need to directly address farm income, land access and finance, labelling it a deep structural issue.
Speaking at the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, he said succession remains a major challenge, with many older farmers yet to identify who'll take over the farm from them.
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