Galicia faces subsidy concentration and animal welfare issues under CAP

Recent data regarding the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in Galicia, Spain, highlights significant disparities in fund distribution and animal welfare compliance.

In terms of financial aid, approximately 221 million euros were distributed among 21,000 beneficiaries in Galicia for 2025. However, larger holdings (between 29 and 534 hectares) received 65.6% of the funds, totaling roughly 145 million euros, while smaller farms (0.06 to 29 hectares) received only 34.3%, or about 76 million euros. Agricultural organizations, including Unións Agrarias-UPA, have criticized this concentration, noting that legal entities represent only 10% of beneficiaries but receive approximately 43% of the total amounts. The union is advocating for redistributive payments and maximum aid caps to better support small and medium-sized family farms.

Regarding inspections, 2024 CAP controls revealed that Galicia accounted for 46% of all animal welfare irregularities detected in Spain, including 73% of irregularities related to calves. While Galicia underwent a higher intensity of inspections (3.6%) compared to the Spanish average (1.5%), the high rate of non-compliance is attributed to the region's high concentration of livestock activity. Over 75% of CAP applications in Galicia are linked to cattle farming, which significantly impacts the volume of welfare-related findings.