Polish pig farmers urge government to delay EU directive

Under the new rules, every farm with more than 150 large animals will be classified as an "agricultural complex", which will affect the already high costs of breeding.

Food security could be at risk in Poland and the rest of the EU, as the revised EU Industrial Emissions Directive could exclude small players from the market in the near future. Last week, industry organization PolPig, along with other members of the #HodowcyRazem (#BreederTogether) initiative, sent a letter to Prime Minister Henryk Kowalczyk calling for action to be taken to amend the provisions of the European Commission's Industrial Emissions Directive. In light of the introduced rules, every farm containing more than 150 large animals will be classified as "agricultural complexes", which will affect the already high costs of breeding.

“Given the threat to the food security of Poland and Europe, we must focus on the development of the livestock sector, and not interfere with its functioning!” PolPig representatives said in a press release.

In April, the European Commission published the revised 2010 Industrial Emissions Directive, which in the past only applied to the EU's largest livestock farms. Currently, it is proposed to increase the number of livestock, pig and poultry farms covered by the requirements of the directive by 10 times. 

“Such a decision will cause a further increase in the cost of production, which is already at a very high level. Family livestock farms with more than 150 animals will be forced, among other things, to apply expensive emission protocols designed mainly for large enterprises and comply with additional environmental requirements. In addition to increased costs, all farms with livestock above the established level will be deprived of social assistance.

In the current geopolitical situation, food security in both Poland and the EU is under threat, so we must strive to ensure that agricultural production develops, and not create a law that imposes restrictions and increases costs.

Breeders' organizations of the #HodowcyRzem initiative declare their readiness to cooperate with the administrative authorities in the field of this directive. At the same time, we want to highlight the fact that all Copa-Cogeca organizations also see the huge threat that the proposed amendments to the directive could pose,” reads an open letter sent to Polish Prime Minister Henryk Kowalczyk.