New roots for our agriculture: A call for a fair and sustainable agricultural policy

Yesterday, Monday 30 June 2025, the Meng Landwirtschaft platform, of which Mouvement Ecologique is a member, together with its 19 supporting organisations, presented the completely revised fourth edition of its plea for a reorientation of agriculture at the 2000m2 field at the Haus vun der Natur. Meng Landwirtschaft wants to stimulate public discussion about the future of agriculture in Luxembourg and play an active role in shaping it.

Meng Landwirtschaft calls on Luxembourg politicians at national and European level to create framework conditions in which agricultural businesses are not merely economic actors competing with each other, but are embedded in their social and ecological context and can operate in the interests of the common good.

In the midst of the implementation of the EU’s current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2023-2027), which is undergoing evaluation and adjustment while the next phase is already being prepared, a broad and critical debate on agricultural policy is essential. Against the backdrop of major environmental and food policy challenges, the current national and European liberalisation and deregulation plans pose a major threat to small-scale and sustainable agriculture in Luxembourg and worldwide, to the protection of natural resources and to greater justice.

Meng Agriculture is committed to a fundamental reorientation of agricultural policy. A central guiding principle here is ‘public money for public goods’. Public funds should always serve the common good. Accordingly, state subsidies should be used more to support specific public services such as environmental protection and nature conservation. Moving away from purely economic performance criteria also offers the opportunity to enhance the status of the agricultural profession and create more stimulating future prospects for farmers.

Luxembourg’s agricultural policy: stuck in a rut for decades

Luxembourg’s agriculture is characterised by economic constraints, competition and specialisation in intensive cattle farming. The Luxembourg government has so far failed to take advantage of the comparatively considerable leeway granted to Member States by the EU under the latest CAP reform to pursue a more environmentally friendly agricultural policy. At the same time, the gap between the ecological and social needs of society and consumers on the one hand, and the way agriculture is produced and organised today on the other, is growing.

Under the current system, there is little to gain for the general public, but much to lose. There is much to lose because prevailing agricultural practices have a significant impact on the environment and biodiversity, the climate, and the well-being and health of people in Luxembourg and in the Global South. There is little to gain because the sector only generates a positive net income thanks to public subsidies and offers farmers few attractive prospects for the future.

Creating new roots for fair and crisis-proof agriculture

Conversely, socially and ecologically sustainable agriculture offers great opportunities – with little to lose and much to gain. As an active player in environmental, nature and climate protection, agriculture not only gains new sources of income, but the entire sector becomes more resilient overall.

Another goal should be to view the diverse aspects of agriculture and food more holistically and to break Luxembourg’s agriculture out of its current political isolation. An integrative approach that takes into account the interactions between agriculture, food, the environment, climate and health is essential for sustainable agriculture in Luxembourg. This also includes protecting and promoting local production, distribution and supply systems: Smaller farms and regional networks must be strengthened in order to reduce dependence on global supply chains and increase the resilience of the agricultural system.

A highly topical plea with concrete ideas and examples for the future

Divided into eight ideas, food for thought is provided on how agriculture can contribute to the common good. Meng Landwirtschaft proposes harnessing the potential of agriculture for nature conservation and environmental protection, consistently promoting organic farming and making livestock farming sustainable and animal-friendly. At the same time, local production should be diversified and strengthened, and healthy nutrition should be anchored in society. Nutrition and agriculture must finally be considered together and agricultural professions must be upgraded.

Sustainable agricultural policy is possible, as many initiatives at home and abroad are already proving. Accordingly, Meng Agriculture’s new plea explains eight best practice examples: from regions and countries with a high proportion of organic farming, initiatives that guarantee fair prices for farmers and gardeners, to innovative initiatives promoting plant-based nutrition.

New edition of Meng Landwirtschaft’s plea available free of charge

The new edition of Meng Landwirtschaft’s plea is available digitally at www.meng-landwirtschaft.lu and can be ordered free of charge in paper form at menglandwirtschaft@naturemwelt.lu. This Friday, the brochure will also be available at the Climate Alliance’s Climate Day, on Saturday at CELL’s Voices for Planet festival, and throughout the weekend at the Foire Agricole at natur&ëmwelt and Biovereenegung.

Meng Agriculture: committed to agricultural reform for 15 years

Meng Agriculture is a platform of Luxembourg non-governmental organisations dealing with issues related to agriculture, food, the environment, nature conservation, animal welfare, consumer protection, health and development cooperation. Meng Agriculture aims to stimulate public debate on the future of agriculture in Luxembourg and to play an active role in shaping it. The platform was founded in 2010 and presented its agricultural policy demands for the first time in 2014. The new plea is supported by the following 19 organisations: natur&ëmwelt natur&ëmwelt a.s.b.l., Vereenegung fir Biolandwirtschaft Lëtzebuerg a.s.b.l., Greenpeace Luxembourg, Action Solidarité Tiers Monde, SOS Faim Luxembourg, Mouvement écologique, etika, CELL, Slow Food Luxembourg, Cercle de Coopération, Aide à l‘Enfance de l‘Inde et du Népal, Lëtzebuerger Landesverband fir Beienzuucht, SEED, Kampagne „ohne Pestizide“, Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg, Frères des Hommes, Foodsharing Luxembourg, Netzwierk Agroökologie, Fondation Partage.

The press release and the new edition of the play ‘Meng Landwirtschaft’ are available as PDF files in the downloads section.