Poland took centre stage in the latest DG-Agri press trip. The 19 visiting journalists from 14 EU member states got a close-up look at the country’s dynamic agricultural landscape—and the challenges shaping it. From apple orchards in the heart of Poland to dairy plants and grain fields turned poultry farms in the northeast, the tour reflected the ambitions and tensions of the EU’s new Vision for Agriculture and Food.
Launched in February 2025, the Commission’s Vision outlines a “fairer, simpler and more targeted” Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), aimed at strengthening rural viability, simplifying regulations and bolstering food security. The trip gave life to those words, showcasing farmers who have innovated under pressure, but who also spoke frankly about policy disconnects, climate stress and market volatility.
Dairy in a delicate balance
At Mlekpol’s Mrągowo dairy plant, one of Poland’s largest dairy cooperatives, the industry’s crossroads became clear. With its 7,500 members and two billion litres processed annually, Mlekpol is both anchor and compass for the Polish dairy sector. Executives stressed the importance of innovation, energy efficiency and resilience—especially in light of the looming threat of foot and mouth disease (FMD).
“Right now, we’re sitting on a ticking timebomb,” said Tadeusz Mroczkowski, Mlekpol president.
An outbreak in Poland could wipe out exports, which currently account for 30% of national dairy output.
Although Mlekpol is cutting costs through co-generation investments, smaller farms continue to feel the financial pinch. Larger producers—those delivering over one million litres annually—now contribute a quarter of the cooperative’s milk. As Wanda Chmielewska-Gill of Poland’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development noted: “We have a million very small farms and around 200,000 that are large or very large. Nothing in the middle.”
Fruit farmers caught in the squeeze
That same polarisation came through at Robert Gizinski’s fruit farm in central Poland. With 26 hectares of applie and pear orchards and more than two decades of experience, Gizinski is the face of professional, modern farming. Yet even he is struggling under the weight of tightening EU regulations and variable weather.
“We face overproduction, climate extremes and unpredictable policy changes,” he said. Gizinski supports the EU Green Deal in principle, but calls the execution “terrible”. He said his biodiversity investments—ponds, forests, wild meadows—don’t count towards compliance the set-aside and eco-scheme rules introduced as part of the Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy because rules are tailored to arable, not orchard, systems.
“Don’t make it harder than it already is,” he said.
Like many across Europe, Gizinski isn’t sure if the next generation will stay on the land.
“It’s hard to convince young people to stay when farming looks unstable.”
When wheat doesn’t pay
In northern Poland, farmer Maciej Brzozowski found a creative solution to the grain market collapse—by turning his own cereals into poultry feed. His six broiler houses, now essential to farm income, are part of a sector that has made Poland the EU’s largest poultry producer.
“Thanks mainly to the animal husbandry, I can still stay afloat,” he said, noting that one six-week cycle consumes 900 tonnes of feed, of which he contributes 200 tonnes.
Brzozowski has invested in precision farming, strip-till systems and automation, including remote task-setting for tractors via smartphone. But like others, he’s wary of tightening pesticide rules and fears unfair competition from Ukrainian imports.
“We know our production costs, but we can’t just add a margin like other industries,” he said. “The market dictates what we get paid.”
Echoes of the Vision
The European Commission’s new Vision seems to have taken note. It promises streamlined red tape, targeted crisis tools and fresh livestock policy. Poland’s agricultural ministry is pushing for ‘rural proofing’ to ensure rules account for diverse realities—not just broad policy aims.
As Robert Piłat, Deputy Director at Poland’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development put it, “Food security must be more than a slogan—it’s about making sure farmers have the tools, income and stability to keep producing.”
For visiting journalists, the trip offered a rare and timely opportunity to witness a sector grappling with global disruption, yet still rich in ambition and innovation. It also revealed how much hangs on whether Brussels can turn that vision into visible support at the farm gate.
