Press Release: Drought: Commission proposes to allow farmers to feed livestock on set-aside areas

On 27 July 2006 the European Commission tabled several draft Commission decisions to authorise farmers affected by severe drought to use set aside land for animal feed purposes. The drought has resulted in animal feed shortage in many regions. Normally the agricultural use of set-aside areas is allowed only from 31 August onwards but due to the current heatwave, the animal feed growing on these areas would dry up by then.