Greece's Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, has appealed to the European Commission for emergency funding and compensation for livestock farmers in the wake of the ovine rinderpest outbreak. This disease, affecting sheep and goats, has been contained within Greece but has raised concerns due to its potential economic impact on the EU. The disease has necessitated the culling of thousands of cattle, threatening Greece's agricultural sector and its primary export, feta cheese. In response, the Greek government has implemented restrictions on the movement of goats and sheep and temporarily closed slaughterhouses. The rinderpest virus, which primarily affects small ruminants, has been spreading globally since its initial outbreak in 1942, posing a significant threat to small ruminant populations and the economies of affected countries.