Brandenburg helps animal owners: 7.9 million euros for FMD victims!

Brandenburg helps animal owners: 7.9 million euros for FMD victims!

Nature always surprises us, but sometimes it also presents us with great challenges. Recently, numerous farmers in Brandenburg were in the spotlight when they were confronted with the consequences of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD). The start of this outbreak was detected on January 10, 2025 in a herd of water buffalo in the Märkisch-Oderland district. As a result, numerous animals had to be killed, which had far-reaching economic consequences for the affected companies.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Loud Berlin Live The affected pig farmers and dairy farms can now apply for compensation. The financial support consists of funds from the EU amounting to 4.7 million euros and 3.2 million euros from the state of Brandenburg. In addition, Agriculture Minister Hanka Mittelstädt made clear promises: support should flow quickly and unbureaucratically.

The consequences of the outbreak

The Brandenburg Ministry of Agriculture estimates the economic damage caused by foot-and-mouth disease to be around eight to nine million euros. This is not a small sum and primarily affects those farms whose milk volumes have fallen sharply since the beginning of January due to the movement bans.

“It is crucial that we help the farmers who have been severely affected by this crisis,” commented the minister, according to information from South German newspaper. Applications for compensation must be submitted to the Investment Bank of the State of Brandenburg.

Yesterday and today

The outbreak of the disease was the first in Germany since 1988 and not only caused local losses, but also led to export bans and import restrictions for some countries. Fortunately, Germany was able to regain the status of “FMD-free without vaccination” by mid-April 2025, previously imposed exclusion zones were lifted, and the markets were gradually able to reopen, according to the Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture explained.

The case of foot-and-mouth disease in Hungary, registered on March 1, 2025, is not linked to the Brandenburg outbreak, although fears were high. It turns out that agricultural businesses in this country continue to be exposed to high pressure and effective biosecurity measures are essential. A “stand still” for cloven-hoofed animals has been ordered, and only strong cooperation between the federal states and the Friedrich Loeffler Institute can prevent the spread.

The current situation presents a contradiction: on the one hand, the challenges of animal husbandry, on the other hand, the rapid return to normality. The hope remains that the affected farmers will ultimately be able to recover and strengthen their businesses. Because one thing is certain: strong agriculture is the backbone of our region.