After intensive negotiations, the EU member states sent a clear message for the agricultural economy on Monday: In response to the vehement farmer protests that shook Europe, they intend to draw a line under the chapter of strict environmental regulations at the start of the week. The EU Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, initiated the further development for the relief of agricultural enterprises, and the EU Parliament recently nodded through the plans. Despite Germany's abstention from the preparatory vote, a majority is emerging for the amended regulations. As a result, smaller farms will be exempted from certain control obligations and may act more freely in some cases. This development comes at a time when a noticeable contraction process of German agricultural operations is being lamented – around 7,800 business closures in three years, according to the Federal Statistical Office, a figure that speaks for itself. Controversies are inevitable, as environmental protection and farmer relief must be balanced in an act of equipoise. Neither the German Farmers' Association (DBV) nor Sebastian Lakner, professor of agriculture at the University of Rostock, expect a noticeable impact on food prices. According to expert opinion, the determinants of prices are primarily based on global harvest balances. The focus of the revision is the flexibility of soil conservation regulations and the possibility to approve further exceptions due to unforeseeable climate events. Small farms, defined as having an area of less than ten hectares, are also to be relieved of bureaucratic duties. Meanwhile, criticism is voiced: Lakner laments the disregard of scientific recommendations and warns of an environmental policy credibility loss of the EU Commission. On the other hand, the DBV insists that farmers live ecological responsibility even without an EU mandate and advocates for national adaptation to incentivize environmentally friendly practices. FDP agricultural politician Carina Conrad also calls for more effective incentives and sees in the new regulations an economic gain for farmers. The federal government, with the Greens in charge of the agricultural portfolio, is skeptical about a blanket reduction of protection standards. However, DBV President Joachim Ruckwied highlights the urgency of the changes and expects a swift national implementation of the EU proposal. Furthermore, a future EU Commission should maintain this course. Although the relaxations seem to offer a glimmer of hope for farmers, it remains to be seen how the balancing act between economy and ecology will be managed in practice.