The end of the traditional agricultural society - and what is to follow? Astatus report of the so-called Agriculture Report

The "primary sector" of the society in Europe's regions is phasing out, but we do not know all of the consequences yet. Will there be a "mixed rural s ociety" with an agricultural minority running farms under improved location al conditions, or will rural areas face a "subsistence crisis" for an unkno wn proportion of its population, which is partly already obvious, particula rly in Central and Eastern Europe? On the other hand the efficiency of mark et-oriented producers has increased markedly, so that costs decreased for t he consumer, but the incomes of must of the producers, too. This is why the rest of the "primary sector" is forced to accept additional nonagricultura l tasks and functions, such as services on both the private (touristic) and public (communal) level. Agricultural politics should support this develop ment in order to guarantee the farmers a status of "multifunctionality", no t only for their own care but for the benefit of the society as a whole.