Greek Government Approves Compensation for Livestock Farmers Affected by Animal Diseases

A joint ministerial decision of Greece’s Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, published in the Government Gazette (ΦΕΚ), establishes emergency compensation for livestock farmers whose herds were hit by sheep pox, peste des petits ruminants and a non‑structural fever. The measure covers mandatory culling carried out between 4 December 2025 and 30 June 2026, and for the Lesbos outbreak of the non‑structural fever from 15 March to 30 June 2026.

Eligible producers receive tax‑free, non‑seizable payments that are not offset against public debts or counted in social‑benefit eligibility calculations. Compensation rates for 2026 are set at €70 per dead sheep or goat over six months of age, €35 per lamb, kid or young animal up to six months, and the same amounts for breeding rams and bucks over six months. The scheme also extends to farmers already compensated for 2025, granting them additional payments for the first half of 2026 and covering pending payments from earlier decisions. Producers who violated disease‑control protocols, such as illegal vaccinations or failure to apply required bio‑security measures, are excluded.