Agriculture continues to face significant economic, environmental and social challenges; such challenges are particularly acute for smaller farms, new/young farmers and farmers in economically disadvantaged or geographically challenging regions. Such farm-based businesses are often constrained by limited economies of scale, reduced access to finance and technology, innovation, access to vocational training to develop the right set of skills and a higher dependency on subsidies, making them particularly vulnerable to economic and environmental or climate related shocks.

Establishing cooperation between farmers enables them to: gain market insights and improve decision-making with their peers; share knowledge, pool resources such as access to new technology, information and training; improve their access to risk management tools; and ultimately help their businesses to be competitive and resilient with reduced risks and increased profitability.

Cooperation also allows farmers to benefit from CAP funds and privileges enshrined in the Common Market Organisation (CMO) regulation. Fundamentally, farmers need to be aware of the benefits of sharing resources and working together, as well as having the capacity to engage with other businesses in a model of cooperation that suits them.

This Thematic Group is considering how best to unlock the potential of cooperation in the CAP to increase business competitiveness, resilience and growth, particularly for small farmers. The TG is also reflecting on the effectiveness of current CAP interventions/frameworks for supporting cooperation, particularly those interventions beyond EIP & LEADER.

Aims of the first TG meeting: