Danish sheep farmer hit by subsidy change for wolf‑proof fences

Henrik Fomsgaard, a sheep farmer in Aalestrup, Denmark, was promised advance payments for subsidies to build wolf‑proof fences under a mini‑tripartite agreement involving the government, the Wildlife Management Council and farmer organisations. He received the advance last year, but after a recent wolf attack the agency responsible for the programme withdrew the option of pre‑paying the support. Fomsgaard now must cover roughly DKK 100,000 himself until the reimbursement is processed.

The Agency for Green Area Planning and Waterways explained that a lack of legal authority for advance payments in the 2026 application round forces a back‑dated reimbursement system. It said the rule will be revisited and advance payments are expected to resume around September 2026. Farmers and organisations, including Landbrug & Fødevarer, say the change breaches the original agreement and leaves them in a “lortesituation”.