Good Practices on Valuing Farmers' Wider Contributions to Society

This briefing presents 18 initiatives shared by members of the EU CAP Networks’ Thematic Group (TG) on Valuing Farmers' Wider Contributions to Society.

The overall aim of the TG was to explore existing and innovative ways to raise awareness and recognise the wider societal contributions of farmers, as well as how to attach greater importance to the profile of the farming profession and attract new people into farming.

The purpose of this briefing is to give a flavour of the range of activities that are happening in different parts of the EU to provide inspiration to others – it is by no means a comprehensive list. The initiatives are funded from a range of sources, including the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), private, and national funding.

Good practices have been organised into three categories: (1) farmers' interactions with the public, (2) educational initiatives, and (3) communication and awareness-raising actions. These categories reflect the diverse strategies used to increase public understanding of the essential roles that farmers play beyond food production. From engaging directly with citizens, sharing personal experiences, and building farmers’ communication skills, to delivering educational programmes and running targeted campaigns, each category demonstrates a different way of making farmers’ contributions more visible and valued by society.