“This is a huge advantage for our European farmers” in terms of increased exports to Mercosur countries: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia, Hansen said.

Ukraine is the “elephant in the room”

The prospect of Ukraine and its huge agricultural sector joining the EU is making European farmers nervous, Hansen said. “So this needs to be properly prepared… the solidarity that the community has towards Ukraine is not something we should take for granted… We don’t need to cause losses to our agricultural sector because another country or countries join in.”

Are farmers’ fears justified? Hansen, who comes from a farming background, alluded to his brother’s experience as a farmer during the EU enlargement in 2004, when countries like Poland and Hungary joined the bloc: “I remember in 2004 my brother was very, very upset. when certain new member states joined the European Union because they too feared a price crisis for their crops. Was it true now? In the end I am not sure, I will not judge, but in the end we have found solutions.”

As for the upcoming review of the free trade agreement between the EU and UkraineHansen said it is key to “learn lessons” from the emergency trade measures implemented after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that froze tariffs on all kyiv exports.

Yes, we should reduce livestock emissions, but not “hard cuts”

Hansen walked nimbly on the cattle tightrope. It recognizes that these animals account for 85 percent of the EU’s agricultural emissions and that “we have to work harder” here.

However, he also put several “buts”. Firstly, agriculture is only responsible for 11 percent of the EU’s total emissions, so let’s not exaggerate the problem. Secondly, the cattle herds are already in decline: his brother died last year and no one has bought his animals yet.