The drought affecting Europe is forcing livestock farms to start using their winter feed reserves several months earlier, as dried-out pastures and damaged crops reduce feed availability. Euractiv reports, writes UNN.
Details
As the publication notes, this summer has been accompanied by wildfires and heat. According to official data, around 38% of the EU’s territory is suffering from drought, including 14.8% of agricultural land and 14.5% of forests.
The drought is causing significant damage to European agriculture, affecting everything from olive oil and wine production to key feed crops such as corn and sunflowers. France, one of the EU’s largest corn producers, expects its lowest harvest since 1980.
For livestock farms, feed is the most pressing problem. Dried-out pastures have reduced grazing opportunities in parts of Western and Central Europe, while poor harvests are making alternative feeds less available and more expensive.
Farmers and governments are responding to the situation in different ways: opening winter feed reserves early, reducing livestock numbers, seeking alternative feeds, and, in some cases, easing agricultural regulations.
France uses its reserves
In France, the farmers’ union Confédération Paysanne, which holds environmentally oriented views, warned of the loss of 30% to 60% of feed reserves, depending on the region.
The union said that limited access to pastures, particularly in regions affected by or at risk of wildfires, is making access to feed more difficult.
As a result, farmers are using reserves that are normally kept for autumn and winter, Johann Barbe, president of the FNPL dairy farmers’ federation, told Euractiv .
"If the situation continues, we risk running out of feed," he said, adding that farmers are now waiting for the sugar beet harvest, the pulp of which can be used as feed.
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The shortage of pastures is also affecting production. Since a significant share of France’s summer milk production depends on grazing livestock, dried-out pastures have led to a 3–4% decline in milk production, Barbe noted.
Farmers raising cattle and expecting feed shortages are reducing their herds and sending more animals to slaughter. The additional supply is intensifying the decline in meat prices, which began before the summer.
Europe’s forest monocultures contribute to the spread of wildfires
In Spain, farmers are also facing dried-out pastures and rising feed costs.
"In May, we were already seeing temperatures of 32–35°C," said Juan Luis Delgado of the ASAJA farmers’ union.
Although winter precipitation was relatively sufficient, the early heat led to pastures drying out and reduced water availability.
Delgado also drew attention to poor grain and straw harvests in Spain and other countries, which resulted in higher feed costs. According to him, export restrictions related to animal diseases are putting additional pressure on prices.
"We were coming off a good year thanks to open markets. It was almost the first time it had been profitable," he said.
Preparing for the next drought
In Bavaria, Germany, the authorities eased the rules for organic farms, allowing them to purchase conventional feed due to "catastrophic" circumstances. This possibility is provided for under EU legislation.
Ireland is assessing the problem before deciding whether additional measures are needed. Due to growing concerns about winter feed reserves, the government asked farmers to calculate their needs.
Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said on Wednesday that further steps would depend on the results of the survey, which are expected by the end of this month.
According to the Brussels-based think tank Farm Europe, the priority is to prepare for recurring droughts and difficult summer seasons.
"We need both an emergency plan and an investment plan to prevent European agriculture from falling behind and to strengthen its resilience," the organisation's Secretary-General Luc Vernet told Euractiv.