![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-eu-unit-stateless\/2019\/02\/ea4246b2-money-linked-to-livestock-sector-1200x630px-clean-1024x538.png\")
<\/p>\nAt least \u20ac28 billion of CAP direct payments for land that feeds livestock<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Brussels<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 At least 71% of the EU\u2019s farmland is used to feed livestock, according to new research published by Greenpeace<\/a>. Around 63% of arable land is dedicated to feeding farm animals.<\/span><\/p>\n Researchers calculated that 125 million hectares of land in Europe is used to graze livestock or produce feed. This land, and other targeted subsidies for livestock, is worth between \u20ac28-\u20ac32 billion in CAP direct payments per year for the animal farming sector, 18-20% of the EU\u2019s total budget.<\/span><\/p>\n Eurostat has shown that 72% of European livestock products come from Europe\u2019s largest farms, while the total number of livestock farms fell by 2.9 million, nearly a third, between 2005 and 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n Greenpeace EU agriculture policy director Marco Contiero<\/b> said: <\/span>\u201cAs scientists warn us that we have to cut meat to avoid environmental disaster, it\u2019s madness to pour good money after bad into industrial animal farming. The EU has a responsibility to use the CAP to help farmers move to ecological agriculture, rearing less but better animals, protecting our environment, climate and health. While small farms are disappearing at alarming rates, public money encourages the biggest farms to get bigger, this has to stop.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n These findings come amid mounting scientific evidence of the damage done to the climate, the environment and public health by production and consumption of meat and dairy. In January,<\/span> a new report<\/span><\/a> by The Lancet recommended cutting red meat consumption in Europe by 77%.<\/span><\/p>\n Next steps for CAP<\/b><\/p>\n The next CAP, which will cover the years 2021-2027, is being negotiated between national governments and the European Parliament. On 14 February, the European Parliament\u2019s environment committee will vote on the European Commission\u2019s proposed CAP reform. A vote in the agriculture committee is planned for 6 or 7 March, and a vote in the Parliament\u2019s plenary session in April.<\/span><\/p>\n Contact<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-eu-unit-stateless\/2019\/02\/1af5ee62-livestock-from-largest-farms-1200x630px-clean-1024x538.png\")
<\/p>\n