The Austrian Experience: Small Family Farms, Stable Prices, but Limited Subsidies

What does sheep farming look like in Austria in 2025? What are the challenges for exports, how are farms developing, and what role do subsidies play? Josef Stockl - vice president of the Austrian Sheep and Goat Breeders Association - provides the answers. We spoke with him at the National Sheep Breeders Assembly, which took place near Arbanasi. Market with Moderate Growth, but Stable Prices According to Josef Stockl, lamb slaughter prices and milk prices in Austria are currently at a "comfortable level" and moving in the right direction. This creates some stability for producers, although 2025 is not without its upheavals. The first serious challenge comes with the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic that broke out in neighboring countries like Hungary and Slovakia. "We were all concerned. Veterinary authorities imposed specific requirements to protect Austria from the spread of the disease," Stockl explained. Exports Suffered, but are Now Recovering The imposed measures led to a ...