CHANGES IN EUROPEAN UNION FARM STRUCTURE AND THEIR MULTIDIMENSIONAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

The aim of the paper was to identify the tendencies in the farm structure in EU-28 countries from 2008 till 2016 and point out their implications. The analyses revealed that during the examined period the very impressive decrease in total farm number was observed. The changes of farm number and of farm structure by size class (in UAA) were very differentiated between countries. The increase in the share of the biggest farms in farm number and especially in utilised agricultural area indicates advanced process of agricultural land concentration in many EU countries. The highest concentration was observed in some post communistic countries, but it was very progressive in such important agricultural product producers as German, Denmark, France, Spain as well. The changes in farm structure have important implications for political power of farmers as an interest group at national and the EU level. They influence the provision of environmental and non-environmental public goods as well.