In July 2026, the European Commission presented its first-ever EU Livestock Strategy, recognising the sector’s strategic role in the economy, food security, and rural areas, while outlining a plan to ensure its long-term prosperity.

• The 2026 EU Livestock Strategy recognises livestock farming as a strategic sector for food security, competitiveness, rural development, and sustainable growth, and establishes a roadmap for its future development.
• The new strategy aims to strengthen the competitiveness of European livestock farmers by improving risk management tools, applying the principle of reciprocity in international trade, and adopting a sustainability approach tailored to the diversity of livestock production systems.
• With the Protein Action Plan and the recognition of livestock farming’s role in biodiversity conservation and land management, the EU seeks to reinforce the strategic autonomy and resilience of the entire European agri-food chain.

After months of drafts and preliminary announcements, in July 2026 the European Commission officially unveiled its first-of-its-kind strategy for the livestock sector. The document not only recognises livestock farming as fundamental to the economy, food security, and the vitality of rural communities, but also sets out a clear roadmap to ensure its long-term prosperity. With an annual turnover of €400 billion and supporting around 7 million jobs across the value chain, the livestock sector is a strategic pillar of the European Union and is now being promoted through a constructive, forward-looking approach.

A strategic sector: the EU’s priorities

The new strategy is built around five complementary priorities designed to strengthen the sector from within while promoting a model of European excellence. Its objective is to help livestock farmers address both market challenges and the green transition, transforming these into opportunities for growth. The action plan seeks to balance competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience while recognising the extraordinary diversity of livestock production systems across Europe, from mountain grazing to family-run farms.

Greater resilience and competitiveness for livestock farmers

One of the strategy’s major innovations is the strengthening of income protection tools for farmers. In cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Commission will develop a new financial framework for risk management, including an innovative insurance and reinsurance system. This initiative aims to provide livestock farmers with greater security against animal disease outbreaks, market volatility, and climate change.

At the same time, the strategy seeks to improve competitiveness by promoting an essential principle for the sector: reciprocity in international trade. The EU will work to ensure that imported products comply with production standards equivalent to those required of European producers, particularly regarding animal welfare and environmental protection, thereby creating a fairer marketplace. Combined with stronger agri-food diplomacy, this approach is expected to open new opportunities for European livestock products in global markets.

Tailored sustainability: recognising diversity

Sustainability lies at the heart of the strategy, but with a pragmatic and customised approach. Brussels moves away from a “one-size-fits-all” model, recognising that livestock production systems differ significantly across Europe. As highlighted in the Commission’s Analytical Brief (page 23: “No single system dominates on all sustainability dimensions”), no single farming system performs best across every sustainability indicator. Therefore, policies must be adapted to the diversity of production systems.

The strategy will promote harmonised methods for calculating farm-level emissions and support livestock farmers through a dedicated livestock platform that shares proven best practices in climate action, environmental protection, and animal welfare.

The objective is not to impose change but to support the transition by providing tools, knowledge, and financial assistance to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impacts, while respecting the specific characteristics of each production system.

Livestock farming as a guardian of rural landscapes and biodiversity

One of the most significant aspects of the new European vision is its recognition of the inseparable relationship between livestock farming and land stewardship. Livestock production is not only about food production; it is also essential for maintaining landscapes, preventing rural depopulation, supporting local communities, and preserving biodiversity.

The Commission’s study highlights a remarkable fact: approximately one-third of the ecosystems protected under the Habitats Directive, covering 35 million hectares, depend directly on extensive grazing. Without grazing livestock, these areas would face increased risks of abandonment, wildfires, and biodiversity loss. For this reason, the strategy includes a dedicated plan to promote sustainable livestock farming in the most vulnerable areas and to support the development of small-scale, mobile slaughterhouses to strengthen local supply chains and create greater value within rural economies.

Strategic autonomy: the Protein Action Plan

Alongside the Livestock Strategy, the Commission has launched an ambitious Protein Action Plan, representing a decisive step toward greater European strategic autonomy. Currently, a significant proportion of the protein used in European animal feed is imported, with a heavy reliance on soybean production from a limited number of non-EU countries.

The plan aims to reverse this trend by increasing the share of protein crops produced within the EU from 25% to 35% by 2035. This represents a major opportunity for European farmers, who will be encouraged to cultivate legumes and other protein-rich crops. For the livestock sector, this would mean greater access to high-quality, locally produced feed, shorter, more resilient supply chains, and reduced exposure to shocks in international commodity markets.

The EU’s vision therefore seeks to integrate crop and livestock farming into a more resilient agricultural system while promoting the European livestock model as an excellence to be enhanced. Through new voluntary labelling schemes that highlight superior sustainability and animal welfare standards, consumers will also have clearer tools to recognise and reward the quality of European production.

Reactions from the agricultural sector: a positive reception, but concrete action is needed

Italian agricultural organisations have responded with cautious optimism to the new strategy, welcoming the change in direction while calling for concrete implementation. Coldiretti and Filiera Italia stated that the Commission must now “back its words with action” and move beyond what they describe as “the period of demonising livestock farming.” They also welcomed the cautious approach toward alternative proteins, emphasising that such products should undergo rigorous scientific assessment. Cristiano Fini, President of the CIA, Italian Farmers’ Confederation, acknowledged the initiative’s strategic value but warned that “without clear timelines and adequate financial resources, the objectives risk remaining only on paper.” According to the CIA, a major concern is the investment required for transitioning to cage-free production systems, while the Commission has yet to commit to concrete financial support. Giuseppino Santoianni, President of AIC, likewise stressed the need to translate the strategy into practical policies. Improvements in animal welfare, he argued, must be accompanied by gradual implementation, proportionality, and financial support to avoid imposing unsustainable costs on livestock producers. He also emphasised the importance of strengthening supply chains through more transparent contracts and fairer price formation mechanisms.

The European Commission’s new Livestock Strategy has also been welcomed by leading organisations representing Italy’s meat sector, which highlighted the significant shift in policy direction. “This new Livestock Strategy represents a fundamental turning point,” said Lorenzo Beretta, President of ASSICA. “It finally restores livestock farming to its rightful strategic position within Europe. The Commission recognises its essential contribution to food security, competitiveness, and the vitality of our rural areas. We also strongly welcome the focus on reciprocity in international trade, stronger origin labelling, and concrete support for business investment.” The poultry sector expressed similar enthusiasm. “We are extremely pleased with this change of direction,” commented Antonio Forlini, President of UNAITALIA. “The Strategy finally acknowledges the real economic, social, and environmental value of European livestock farming. It lays the foundations for policies focused on resilience, innovation, and production self-sufficiency, while adopting a much more balanced and pragmatic approach to sustainability.” The beef sector also welcomed the initiative. “We consider this plan a concrete sign of attention toward our industry,” concluded Serafino Cremonini, President of ASSOCARNI. “We particularly appreciate the recognition of livestock farming as a strategic sector for the European Union and the Commission’s commitment to combining competitiveness, animal welfare, and food security. Achieving these objectives will require effective support instruments and greater promotion of European livestock production.”