Farmers are scrambling to feed their herds
The drought sweeping Europe is forcing livestock farmers to dip into winter forage reserves months early, as dried-out pastures and damaged crops tighten feed supplies.
This summer has been marked by wildfires and heat, with around 38% of EU land exposed to drought, according to official data, including 14.8% of cropland and 14.5% of forests.
The drought is taking a toll across European agriculture, hitting everything from olive oil and wine to key feed crops such as maize and sunflowers. France, one of the bloc’s largest maize producers, is heading for its lowest harvest since 1980.
For livestock farmers, the immediate problem is feed. Dried-out grasslands have reduced grazing across parts of western and central Europe, while poor harvests are making alternative supplies scarcer and more expensive.
