The subdelegate of the Government in Ourense, Eladio Santos, met with mayors of the Terras de Caldelas region to address the effects that the epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHE) is causing to livestock farms in the area, after Medio Rural reported this week that the Galician veterinary districts (14 ourensanas) affected by this plague were increasing to 27.
To learn about the situation, Eladio Santo visited a farm in the parish of Pola, accompanied by the councilors of Castro Caldelas, Sara Inés Vega; Montevertio, Óscar Diéguez; and Parada de Sil, Aquilino Domínguez. During the visit, the subdelegate recalled that it is the autonomous communities, in the case of Galicia through the Ministry of Rural Environment, that are competent in matters of livestock and, therefore, it is the Xunta, in the first instance, responsible for establishing aid to the sector, as it published in January 2024, “but this aid is applied only in the case of death of the animal and with a very low compensation scale, compared to that established by other communities,” lamented Eladio Santos.
For its part, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is acting as a liaison and coordination agent between the communities and, in compliance with the commitment expressed last May during the Extensive Livestock Forum held in Toledo, the Government of Spain finalizes a Royal Decree to complement the aid to farmers, compatible with those provided by the regional, European and local administration. They will be retroactive and are included in a budget of 15 million euros intended to alleviate the economic effects that the EHE is causing in the livestock sector.
With respect, from Medio Rural they assure that they are waiting for this decree to enable their line of aid because they need to know how much money Galicia will have and how it will be executed. In this regard, the subdelegate has been clear: “The Ministry should not wait for the measures of the Ministry, but activate its own and be next to the farmers, with direct aid to solve the problems that all these losses are causing on the farms,” he said.
In addition, he explained that the evolution of the disease since 2022, the date of its beginning in Spain, is being predictable, so the autonomies can take the measures they consider appropriate in terms of prevention or financial aid for medicines or treatments.
Santos recalled the Ministry’s commitment to provide a vaccine, which is now available. In addition, the MAPA is assessing the restriction of livestock movement between communities and including the EHE within the coverage of the ENESA agricultural insurance.
Finally, the subdelegate made it clear that the livestock sector is “a strategic sector, not only economic, but to reflect our support for the rural world and sustainable and quality livestock, which is why we must bet in Galicia”.