FAQ: The Resilience Gap

Q: What is "the resilience gap" in European agriculture?  

A: It is the growing mismatch between the speed at which climate, cost and competitive pressures are intensifying on European farms, and the speed at which effective innovations reach farmers in the field. European farmers face a double disadvantage: stronger cost pressures alongside a more limited or slower-moving innovation toolkit than peers in non-EU markets.

Q: How much does crop agriculture contribute to the EU economy?  

A: European crop agriculture contributes more to the economy than motor vehicle and parts manufacturing, and is deeply connected to food production, animal feed, biofuels and other industries.

Q: Is European agricultural productivity keeping pace with global competitors?  

A: No. EU total factor productivity grew by an average of 1% annually over the past three decades, compared with 1.3% in the US, 1.8% in Canada, 2.4% in Brazil and 2.8% in China.

Q: How is climate change affecting European agriculture?  

A: Climate change has left global agricultural productivity an estimated 21% lower than it would otherwise have been since 1961. In Europe specifically, droughts have pushed crop losses in the last decade 30% above earlier trends, and wheat yields in Southern Europe could fall by up to 49% by 2050.

Q: What is the current economic cost of climate-driven losses to European crop agriculture?  

A: Climate-driven losses already cost European crop agriculture an estimated €17.4 billion annually, a figure that could rise to €24.8–€28.9 billion by 2050.

Q: What happened to French agriculture in summer 2026? 

A: France experienced severe heat and drought that translated quickly into lost production and public cost, illustrating how climate risks can materialize in a single season across Europe.

Q: Why is the EU's crop protection toolkit shrinking? 

A: The EU has fewer approved active ingredients than global peers like the US, combined with higher costs and lengthy bureaucracy that make it harder to bring new crop protection products to market.

Q: How much longer does it take to approve biological crop protection products in the EU versus the US?  

A: EU approval of microbial biological-control agents takes an estimated 1.6 years longer than in the US. Bringing a biopesticide to market costs approximately €3.5–€5.8 million in the EU, compared with €260,000–€350,000 in the US.

Q: How does the EU compare to the US on gene-edited crop adoption timelines?

A: The US began commercial cultivation of gene-edited crops in 2019, while the EU's New Genomic Techniques (NGT) framework is not expected to apply until 2028.

Q: What are the proven benefits of GM crop adoption?

A: GM crop adoption has been estimated to reduce chemical pesticide use by 37%, raise crop yields by 22%, and increase farmer profits by 68%.

Q: How many European farmers currently use agricultural technology?

A: Only 46% of surveyed European farmers use at least one agricultural technology, compared with 74% in the US. Poor connectivity limits uptake on around 15% of EU farms. 

Q: What is the estimated economic opportunity cost of not adopting NGTs in the EU?

A: Not adopting NGTs in the EU is estimated to represent an annual opportunity cost of €72–123 billion across agriculture and food applications.

Q: What returns does public agricultural R&D generate in Europe?

A: Public agricultural R&D in Europe generates estimated annual productivity returns of 6.5% to 15.2%.

Q: How exposed is the EU to imported agricultural inputs?

A: The EU imports around 70% of its phosphatic fertilisers, 40% of its potash fertilisers and 30% of its nitrogen fertilisers, with natural gas accounting for 70% of fertiliser-production costs. Russia accounted for 22% of EU fertiliser imports in 2025.

Q: How much have farm input costs risen?

A: Compared with pre-crisis levels, fertiliser costs are up 60%, energy up 51%, machinery up 25% and crop-protection products up 17%. Nitrogen fertiliser prices were 71% higher in April 2026 than their 2024 average.

Q: Do consumers think it's getting harder for farmers to make a living?

A: Yes. 83% of consumers agree that it is becoming harder for farmers to make a living.

Q: Do Europeans think their governments understand farming?

A: No. 80% say national governments do not appreciate how hard farming is, and 78% say the same of the EU.

Q: Do consumers believe farmers receive a fair price for their produce?

A: No. 67% believe farmers receive an unfair price for what they produce.

Q: What share of household spending does food represent in the EU?

A: Food accounts for 12.2% of average EU household spending, rising to 23.7% in Romania, with lower-income households particularly exposed.

Q: How much have food prices risen since the war in Ukraine began?

A: Food prices across the EU remained 30% higher in mid-2026 than before the Ukraine war. Food inflation reached 19.6% in March 2023, driven partly by a 26.6% jump in cereal prices.

Q: Do consumers believe technology access would make food more affordable?

A: Yes. 65% believe that allowing farmers to use the latest science and technology would make food more affordable.

Q: Are farmers and consumers aligned on food security priorities?

A: Yes. 86% of consumers say domestic food production should be a national priority, and 84% regard food security as a matter of national security.

Q: Do farmers support gene-edited crop varieties?

A: Around two-thirds of farmers interviewed said they would grow edited varieties or would consider doing so. Opposition came from a small minority, mostly organic growers or those citing patent concerns.

Q: Do consumers want science-based regulation of farming technology?

A: Yes. 82% of consumers believe decisions about farming technologies should be based on scientific evidence rather than political pressure.

Q: What are the "Five Ways to Make European Agriculture More Resilient"?

A: 
(1) Make agriculture a strategic cornerstone of Europe's resilience agenda. 
(2) Embrace innovation as an opportunity. 
(3) Give farmers the choice and flexibility they need. 
(4) Reduce bureaucracy and make regulation more predictable and proportionate.
(5) Strengthen trust in facts and science.

Q: What methodology underpins this research?

A: The findings draw on three sources: economic analysis by Oxford Economics, consumer research, and in-depth interviews with farmers across eight European markets.