Editorial: La Vanguardia

• Catalonia and Spain urgently need to ensure the survival and progress of small and medium agricultural and livestock farms for rural protection and food sovereignty.
• The number of small farms has decreased by 42.6% since 1989, with a parallel increase in the abandonment of rural areas and the expansion of large farms.
• The sector faces several health challenges affecting the production and prices of products such as poultry, eggs, and meat.
• The European Union's agreements with Mercosur and trade tensions with China pose an uncertain future for Spanish farmers and ranchers.
• The agricultural and livestock sector struggles with structural problems such as the aging of the rural population, rising production costs, climate change, and loss of biodiversity.
• The agreement between the EU and Mercosur may constitute unfair competition due to the lower production costs and the fewer veterinary and phytosanitary controls of South American products.
• The new CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) has potential to modernize the sector and boost sustainable practices, however, it generates budget cuts and risk of competitiveness loss.

Conclusion: The primary sector requires a global analysis and deep negotiation to establish an economic and social sustainability plan, with special protection for small and medium farms.

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