Livestock farming and protein crops: here are the five key points of the European recovery plan
The measures are designed to support a 400-billion sector facing a combination of low profitability, rising costs and outbreaks of animal diseases. For crops, the self-sufficiency target is set at between 25 and 35 per cent.
Key points
The European livestock sector employs around seven million people across the EU, often in areas with few economic alternatives. It generates an annual turnover of 400 billion euros. However, it is a sector under pressure, facing a combination of low profitability and rising costs, changing markets and outbreaks of animal diseases. It is against this backdrop that the strategy launched by the European Commission for the sector, aims to ensure that farmers can tackle these challenges in a sustainable manner in the long term.
The livestock farming strategy also includes an action plan for proteins, which aims to increase the supply and use of proteins grown within the EU. In 2025, only 25 per cent of the oilseeds and protein crops used for animal feed in the EU were produced within the Union. The plan aims to increase this share to 35 per cent by 2035.
According to the Commission, the strategy will help producers to rely less on imports and more on domestic resources, reduce emissions, safeguard food security and improve animal welfare.
There are five priorities set out in the strategy to achieve this objective: resilience, competitiveness, sustainability, regional diversity and excellence.
1. Crisis preparedness
To reduce vulnerability to crises through new risk management tools and enable farmers to recover more quickly following a crisis. To support EU countries in managing the impact of animal diseases in order to strengthen prevention, early detection and timely action.
