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Thessaly livestock breeders protest government inaction

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2026-10-11 05:55 UTC → 2026-10-20 16:55 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Federation of Livestock Breeders and Livestock Associations of Thessaly has expressed intense frustration and outrage toward the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food regarding unaddressed crises in the livestock sector. Breeders have highlighted the ongoing threat of various animal diseases, including goat and sheep plague, foot-and-mouth disease, scrapie, and African Swine Fever in Lesvos. They claim that despite submitting numerous proposals, political leadership has failed to act to protect herds. In addition to disease management, the federation is demanding a concrete timeline for herd reconstruction following significant losses of livestock and income. They also criticized the government for failing to fulfill a commitment made by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis regarding animal feed subsidies for 2026. Conflict has escalated as producers in Agrinio and Pyrgos stage protests against a new serological testing program intended to monitor sheep contagious plague. The Ministry’s plan involves testing 153 holdings per region across nine mainland provinces through late 2026, utilizing clinical examinations and blood sampling. Farmers fear these inspections could lead to further animal deaths and increased economic instability. In Thessaly’s Magnesia region, the disease has already resulted in nearly 38,784 sheep deaths across 195 farms. The crisis has intensified significantly, with reports indicating that between August 2024 and September 9, 2026, approximately 496,000 animals died across 2,271 recorded outbreaks of sheep and goat plague (SGP). To address this, the Ministry has initiated a serological surveillance program involving blood testing at 153 holdings per region to determine if the virus is circulating undetected or if unauthorized vaccines have been used. The Geotechnical Chamber of Greece (GETE) has raised alarms regarding the worsening epidemiological situation and the potential for international restrictions on Greek dairy exports, including protected designation of origin (PDO) products like feta cheese. Political opposition has also entered the fray.

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