Farm disappointed by drought aid: "Animals can't wait for better times"
Austria’s prolonged drought has caused billions of euros in damage, leaving many farmers struggling. A €240 million government relief package has now come under fire, with one Niederösterreich farm warning that livestock producers need immediate help.
The government recently agreed on a four-part Dürre-Hilfspaket (drought relief package) after lengthy negotiations. It includes a temporary increase in the public subsidy for drought insurance, temporary social-security relief, interest subsidies for operating loans and payment deferrals for agricultural investment loans.
However, the HillerHof Staatz farm in the Mistelbach district of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) says the measures will provide little practical help for many small and medium-sized farms. The farm argues that livestock producers face an urgent problem because there is not enough feed available after the severe drought.
The farm says loans for buying feed only provide limited relief. If drought has destroyed grassland and reduced feed production, farmers still have to purchase expensive supplies. According to HillerHof Staatz, this does not remove the financial burden but simply pushes it into the future.
The farm is also critical of payment deferrals, arguing that they could create an even heavier financial burden next year. It is calling instead for targeted assistance for small and medium-sized agricultural businesses, particularly farms that keep livestock.
Small family farms in regions such as Tirol, Salzburg and Kärnten often do not have hundreds of hectares of land or the financial resources of larger operations. Unlike some other businesses, livestock farms cannot simply stop production when feed becomes scarce because their animals still need to be fed every day.
HillerHof Staatz warned that the damage caused by the continuing drought could become existential for some livestock farmers. With pasture yields falling, the cost of feeding animals can rise sharply, putting additional pressure on already struggling family businesses.
The farm says the different agricultural sectors should not be played against each other, but insists that the severe impact of the drought on livestock producers must not be underestimated. Its central message is blunt: **the animals need food now and cannot wait for better times.**