The Swedish government has rejected calls to scrap its mandatory grazing rule and will instead launch a new subsidy of 1,000 SEK per cow.

By law, dairy cows in Sweden must graze for at least six hours a day during the summer. In recent years, easing this requirement has been debated, with companies such as Arla arguing that farmers should decide what is best for their herds and that the rule increases production costs.

From 2026, the government will introduce a support scheme granting dairy producers 1,000 SEK per cow in so-called grazing support. The measure, expected to cost 282 million SEK over two years, is intended to strengthen the competitiveness of Swedish milk production.

Minister for Rural Affairs Peter Kullgren (Christian Democrats) said Sweden needs both more cows and better conditions for dairy farmers. He emphasized, however, that the subsidy depends on changes to EU regulations, since national legal requirements cannot currently be subsidized. The European Commission is reviewing a proposal that could open the door for the scheme.

With this decision, the debate over abolishing the grazing requirement is effectively settled for the current parliamentary term. The government is also expanding the national agricultural support program in northern Sweden by 120 million SEK, raising it to the EU’s maximum permitted level.

Read the full article in the Swedish agricultural outlet ATL HERE

By LMW