Compensation to support farmers

Subject: Compensation to support farmers

The problems affecting livestock farming are numerous and long-standing. Farmers are calling for immediate and effective solutions. The primary sector is a key pillar of economic growth. However, the multiple economic, health and energy crises plaguing Europe have dealt an irreparable blow to livestock farmers, with the result being that most are thinking of abandoning crop and livestock farming.

Furthermore, severe extreme weather events (such as fires, hurricanes, flooding caused by Storm Daniel, earthquakes) and unpredictable diseases (plague, bluetongue, smallpox) are problems affecting livestock production and require coordinated, targeted and immediate action.

In view of this, can the Commission say:

1. Will aid to livestock farmers be directly supported through financial tools in order to boost their businesses?

2. Does it guarantee that livestock farmers will be promptly indemnified and compensated following natural disasters, such as fires, floods and earthquakes, so that they do not abandon the profession?

Submitted: 20.1.2025

Answer given by Mr Hansen on behalf of the European Commission

(19 March 2025)

1. The Union recognises the livestock sector’s significant challenges and is supporting farmers through various instruments. To mitigate economic impacts and increase farmers resilience, income support through direct payments is a central feature of the common agricultural policy (CAP). A specific type of income support (1) is also available, 70% of which is dedicated to livestock. Payments for Areas with Natural Constraints also help the livestock sector. Some Member States programme interventions in their CAP Strategic Plans to help livestock farmers in managing production and income risks, such as support for insurance schemes, mutual funds, preventive investments, cooperation, knowledge transfer, and advisory services.

2. The CAP Strategic Plan regulation (2) gives Member States flexibility in designing their risk management schemes to be able to quickly respond to crisis and provide swift support to affected farmers. Moreover, at the initiative of the Commission, a new measure (M23) (3) was introduced under the ongoing Rural Development Programmes, to compensate farmers severely affected by natural disasters, including animal diseases. Finally, pursuant to Art. 221 of the common market Organisation Regulation (4), the Commission has adopted exceptional measures to support farmers negatively affected by extremely adverse weather events and natural disasters (5).

As announced in the Vision for Agriculture and Food (6), the Commission is working for the EU livestock sector to have a long-term vision that respects the diversity and sustainability of livestock production across the EU and launching a work stream to develop policy pathways for an attractive, competitive, future-proof and inclusive livestock sector in the EU.

1 ∙ ⸱ Coupled income support.

2 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/2115/oj/eng

3 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3242/oj/eng

4 ∙ ⸱ http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1308/oj

5 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202500441 — Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/441 of 6 March 2025 providing

for emergency financial support for the agricultural sectors affected by adverse climatic events and natural disasters in Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia and Hungary, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council. 6 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0075