The first evaluations have been published on the preliminary impacts and results of Finland’s CAP Strategic Plan. The evaluations analysed the results and impact achieved related to the entrepreneurial income and competitiveness of agriculture, animal welfare, the biodiversity of agricultural environments and emissions from agriculture. The evaluations also contain recommendations for developing the CAP Strategic Plan and the next policy period.

The direct payments and compensatory allowances of the EU funding for agriculture have had an important role in strengthening the resilience of agriculture, especially in view of the varying market and weather conditions. The payments have provided a stable and predictable source of income that balances the fluctuations in the entrepreneurial income in different production sectors. The amounts of the support payments are not likely to increase in the future, which means that other instruments to enhance resilience should be strengthened. In the longer term, the focus of the support system should gradually shift from direct area-related payments towards risk management and performance-based types of payment. Strengthening resilience should be the key target when planning these schemes. The measures of the present CAP Strategic Plan should also take into account the risks that will become more common due to climate change and the spread of different kinds of animal diseases. The evaluation recommends that the risk management package of the CAP Strategic Plan should be able to respond to crisis management associated with climate change.

The allocation of direct payments independent of the farm size is in better balance in Finland than in the reference countries. Thus there is less need for redistributive payments than in many other EU countries, as in Finland the largest farms do not benefit from direct payments the most. From the perspective of developing competitiveness, Finland’s decision to keep the proportion of redistributive payments moderate has been well justified.

Animal welfare: Free farrowing more common, welfare plans should be improved

With respect to animal welfare, free farrowing has become more common, cattle grazing has increased, and the culling age of dairy cows has risen. The culling age of dairy cows shows how long the cows are used for production, and it is highly significant in terms of both the economy of farms and animal welfare. Footpad health in broilers has improved and, for the most part, it is now good. Footpad health of broilers is a key indicator of animal welfare. Healthy footpads show that poultry can move about normally, their growth is healthy, and they produce high-quality meat. The most significant changes related to animal welfare payments have been the use of pain relief in castration, for example, and increased housing of animals without tethering, especially free farrowing. 

According to the evaluation, the changes have also been influenced by factors other than the CAP Strategic Plan, such as the requirements of dairies, animal healthcare systems of the sector itself, investments, advice, and consumer expectations. On the majority of farms, the benefits to animal welfare from welfare plans related to animal welfare payments are likely to remain small. In practice the farms formulate the plans with very few words and with a main focus on the production conditions, and the plans are rarely updated. The evaluation considers that the impact of the welfare plans on animal welfare is weak. However, the evaluations are based on the available data, and the impact of the CAP Strategic Plan on the development cannot be unambiguously corroborated. 

Environment and climate: Use of biodiversity strips has decreased, energy investments have curbed emissions

The important role of uncultivated field margins and strips in terms of the biodiversity of agricultural environments is beyond doubt. They serve as habitats for many groups of living organisms, such as pollinators and birds. However, the use of such margins and strips has decreased, and very few biodiversity strips have been implemented on a voluntary basis. The flora and fauna of arable environments would benefit from the increase in perennial grasslands and fallows, especially in the central parts of the fields. The evaluation recommends that the best way to increase the management area would be to promote one-off clearance and to analyse whether the lack of interest in it is due to an inadequate level of compensations or other reasons. The support measures for enhancing the genetic diversity of farm animals and plants in the CAP Strategic Plan have had a significant role in the preservation of indigenous breeds and varieties. 

The measures of the CAP Strategic Plan have had the desired impacts on climate change mitigation. Investment aids, for example, have increased the renewable energy capacity and reduced emissions from agriculture. A significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture come from the clearing of new lands for farming. The CAP Strategic Plan has significantly reduced the clearing of new lands, but the percentage of peatlands of the new parcels is still high. In Finland there are a lot of peatlands in areas with a lot of agricultural production. A significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture arise from peatland cultivation. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, cultivating grass on peatlands is a better option than annual plants. However, the proportion of annual plants in peatland cultivation has stayed about the same. According to the evaluation, with the trends so far the target of 0.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2 eq) by 2027 set for the CAP Strategic Plan will not be reached. The evaluation stresses that the plan supports the achievement of Finland’s climate targets. However, significant policy reforms will be needed to reach the emission reduction targets by 2030. 

The monitoring committee will meet in February 2026 to discuss the recommendations given in the evaluations and to decide on possible further measures to be included in Finland’s CAP Strategic Plan.

Link to publications maaseutu.fi (in Finnish, summaries in English)

Finland’s CAP Strategic Plan encompasses both Mainland Finland and the Åland Islands. Finland’s CAP Strategic Plan includes interventions and financing for agriculture and rural development. While direct payments are the same for both, the rural development interventions are specifically designed for each of the two regions. More than 35% of the rural development budget and 16.5% of direct payments are allocated to environment and climate action.

Inquiries:

Minna-Mari Kaila 
Director General, Food Department (CAP Strategic Plan)
Tel. +358 295 162 217

Eero Pehkonen
Ministerial Adviser (CAP evaluation)
Tel. +358 295 162 217

Email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname@gov.fi

Photo: Mediafarmi.