Only 12% of farm owners in the EU are under 40 years old

Omissions

• The exact figure according to Eurostat 2020 data is 11.9%, not precisely 12%. The MEP appears to have rounded the figure.
• Eurostat data was last updated on 31 March 2026, but this was after the session date of 30 April 2026; the MEP likely relied on 2020 data (11.9%) or earlier 2016 data (11%).
• The term used by Eurostat is 'farm managers' rather than 'farm owners', though these refer to the same group in agricultural statistics.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat Statistics Explained - Farmers and the agricultural labour force11.9% of EU farm managers were under the age of 40 years old in 2020
• PrimaryEurostat Data Product - Age structure of farm managers (ef_fsi_agesex)Last data update: 31/03/2026 14:00; agricultural holdings by age of manager
• PrimaryEurostat News - Farming: profession with relatively few young farmersOnly 11% of farm managers in the EU were young farmers under the age of 40 years (data from 2016)