In November 2022, the Association of private farming of the Czech Republic (APF CR) organized an international conference Increasing legislative support for family farms in the EU in Telč, Czech Republic within the framework of the presidency of the Czech Republic in the EU. It was attended by representatives of agricultural organizations and politicians from nine European countries – Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Malta, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Great Britain and Czech Republic. The conference was held under the auspices of the Czech minister of agriculture and the chairperson of the Agriculture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

In Hungary, an Act on Family Farms was adopted in 2021. Hungarian family farms now have priority access to agricultural land, and they can better diversify agricultural activities, but they also have a new taxation system that is more favourable to family farms. At the beginning of December 2022, the National Council of the Slovak Republic amended the Act on Social Economy and Social Enterprises, which now defines "Family Businesses" and "Family Farms". For Slovakia, this is a breakthrough step which launched systematic legislative support for family businesses and farms. The UK government is aware of the importance of family farms and is therefore supported by various measures – tax relief in relation to agricultural heritage, facilitation of leases or facilitation of construction development of family farms.

Presentation and brochure from the international conference

The conference was attended by representatives of agricultural organizations and politicians from nine European countries – Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Malta, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia and Great Britain. You can see their presentations below. The informative brochure briefly presents individual countries' profiles regarding the main conference theme. The brochure is available here.

Hungary – Ágnes Major from Kislépték

Austria – Zeno Piatti from Association of Austrian Land and Forest Owners

Slovakia – Milan Jurky from Association of Young Farmers in Slovakia

Malta – Karl Scerri from Malta Youth in Agriculture Foundation

Lithuania – Vytautas Abukauskas from The Lithuanian Young Farmers and Youth Union

Latvia – Agnese Hauka from Latvian Farmers’ Federation

Great Britain – Eveey Hunter from National Farmers Union

Netherlands– Eke Folkerts from Dutch Young Farmers' Organization

Czech Republic – Jaroslav Šebek from Association of private farming of the Czech Republic

"In the Czech Republic, there are around 30,000 agricultural entities, 25,000 of which have a form close to family farming. It is obvious that the Act on Family Farms would help the vast majority of Czech farmers - family farms, which historically form a natural model of responsible and perspective farming in the Czech countryside. We will all gain a lot from this - whether as consumers or as environment users." says APF CR chairman Jaroslav Šebek

"In order to ensure the development of family farms which are directly linked to complex sustainable agricultural production, rural development and generational continuity, family farms need legislative amendments and the support of the government and parliament. The current ruling coalition is committed to supporting family farms as the natural model of responsible and perspective farming in the Czech countryside, as stated in the Policy Statement of the Government of the Czech Republic 2022. The Agriculture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic is also strongly supporting this legislative step. However, support alone is not enough. Now we have to create legislative steps and measures that will allow family farms, which are an essential model of the European and world economy, to strengthen their development. Therefore, it will be absolutely crucial to prepare and approve the Act on Family Farms.” promised Michal Kučera, chairperson of the Agriculture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, at the international conference.

Why does the Czech Republic need an Act on Family Farms?

If modern society is interested in protecting the future of all Czech agriculture, natural resources and the countryside, it should focus on targeted support of family farms. Compared to centralised and large-capacity agricultural subjects, family farms guarantee a potential and unquantifiable value in the form of environmental farming of the landscape and generational continuity, in addition to local food production and processing. The Association of Private Farming of the Czech Republic (APF CR) proposes that family farms be embedded in Czech legislation in order to create an ideological and legislative opportunity for maximum utilisation of their potential and their differentiation from other agricultural subjects.

What exactly will the Act on Family Farms provide?

• It will provide more information about the status and particularities of family farming in the Czech Republic
• It will economically appropriately supplement the existing structure of agricultural enterprises (it will strengthen the economy, not just the rural economy, and allow the state budget to make savings)
• It will supply more motivation and certainty for farmers and help increase food security
• It will promote the availability of healthy and varied local foods of greater freshness and quality, and with a clear identification of origin
• It will create a more diverse landscape and sustainable solutions in the area of the environment
• It will purposefully utilise and transfer some strong points of the family environment into this type of business
• It will help with the essential restructuring and maintenance of the production potential of the agricultural sector with higher added value
• It may provide a path to a future agriculture without a reliance on subsidies

Anna Chládová, main office of APF CR