At the start of 2024, European farmers made headlines by blocking roads and dumping manure in dramatic protests against a mix of tighter climate rules, shrinking profits, and tough trade competition. In 2025, not much has improved. A recent CropLife Europe survey, in partnership with Ipsos and Euronews, shows over half of farmers are still ready to hit the streets. While their frustration grabbed attention, quieter but equally serious concerns, like the flaws in the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, continue to threaten the future of Europe’s food system.
Farmers across Europe are now working longer hours for less pay, and they’re not happy about it. The growing divide between rural and urban life is fueling resentment, as many feel left behind in a system that no longer works for them.
From shrinking incomes to rising tensions, click through this gallery to explore the challenges and hopes driving Europe’s farmers today.