The EACB welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to develop a comprehensive Livestock Strategy. As locally rooted, relationship-based institutions, cooperative banks finance a significant share of livestock farmers, cooperatives, processors and rural SMEs across the European Union. We take the view that the Commission’s timely publication of a Livestock Strategy can serve as a useful risk-sharing blueprint, facilitating the coordination of relevant stakeholders’ efforts toward an economically and environmentally sustainable livestock sector.
The Strategy should reconcile environmental ambition with economic realism and regional diversity. A sustainable transition will only be possible if financially viable. EU cooperative banks are ready to continue and further strengthen their role as key financiers of the agricultural sector across Europe. In a context of policy coherence, appropriate public risk-sharing mechanisms and full recognition of the sector’s structural and regional diversity, cooperative banks can confidently mobilise the necessary financing to support a resilient and sustainable livestock sector.
Further considerations are included in the downloadable paper.