The farm of the future: how Luxembourg is fighting the disappearance of young farmers
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European agriculture is facing an acute staffing problem: the average age of farmers is rising, but young people are in no hurry to get behind the plough. In an attempt to find a solution, agriculture ministers from German-speaking European countries, including Luxembourg's Minister Martine Hansen, visited Biohaff Steichen, an unusual organic farm northwest of Ettelbruck, on 26 June.
On average in the EU, only 10 per cent of farmers are under 40 years of age. In Luxembourg, the figure is higher at 16 per cent, but far behind Liechtenstein with 28 per cent. Hansen emphasises: "We need to make farming an attractive profession again." The country already offers up to 40 per cent state support for starting a farm, with an additional 15 per cent for young farmers.
Biohaff Steichen is a shining example of what a modern approach can be. Its owner, Michel Steichen, abandoned conventional pig farming and created the first and so far only organic pig farm in the country. Today, he raises around 1,000 animals under conditions far from the industrial standard.
Steichen's pigs live in three times the space of conventional farms, with free access in and out. Their life span is six months, but even in this short time the farmer ensures the highest possible welfare standards. The farm strictly observes biosecurity: the visitors change into protective clothing and disinfect the devices to avoid the risk of infection, including African swine fever.
"It's the perfect model," Steichen says. - "Yes, it's more expensive and requires more labour, but the level of animal care is second to none."
Biohaff Steichen's main customer is La Provençale, which supplies products to institutional canteens. From September 2025, organic meat from the farm will be available at retail in Cactus supermarkets.
Steichen's choice is no accident: it follows a global trend. Meat consumption in Europe is declining, but the demand for organics and ethical production methods is growing. For farmers, this means smaller volumes, but higher prices and sustainability in the long term.
Biohaff Steichen is not just a farm, but a showcase of a possible future for the European agribusiness sector. With government support, new markets and ethical standards, farming can once again become attractive to the young. Only such models - innovative, sustainable, quality-orientated - can give a new lease of life to an ageing rural Europe.
