EU livestock strategy gains backing but calls for increased funding and support for farmers

The European Economic and Social Committee endorses the EU’s new livestock approach but urges greater investment and policy reforms to ensure sector resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness.

The European Economic and Social Committee has given broad backing to the European Commission’s new livestock strategy, but says the bloc must commit more money if it wants the sector to remain competitive, resilient and sustainable.

In its opinion, the EESC argued that Brussels should create a dedicated EU Livestock Fund outside the Common Agricultural Policy to finance investment and transition costs. It said the Commission’s current plan to merely examine a possible financial instrument does not go far enough. The committee also wants the CAP budget restored to 0.5% of EU GDP and direct payments indexed to protect farmers’ purchasing power.

According to the Commission, the new livestock strategy is built around five priorities: resilience, competitiveness, sustainability, territorial diversity and excellence across production systems. It is intended to keep livestock farming central to Europe’s food security and rural economy.

Joe Healy, the opinion’s rapporteur, said: “Europe cannot build a sustainable food system without its livestock farmers.” Co-rapporteur Florian Dalstein added that farmers need “the tools to succeed” if they are expected to drive the transition.

The committee also called for mandatory origin labelling on all animal products sold in the EU, equivalent standards in trade deals and stronger support for regenerative, extensive and organic systems. It warned that cutting European output could simply shift production abroad without reducing global emissions.