26 September 2026
The European Commission’s decision to allocate €61 million from the EU Agricultural Reserve to Italian poultry and egg producers forms the cornerstone of a broader, co-financed compensation package worth approximately €120 million, specifically designed to address severe indirect market losses caused by veterinary restrictions.
The exceptional support covers veterinary containment measures implemented between September 22, 2022, and March 1, 2025. While distinct from the catastrophic 2021–2022 pan-European HPAI wave, during which nearly 14 million birds were culled across northern Italian regions such as Veneto and Lombardy, this subsequent period required prolonged and stringent sanitary measures to prevent further outbreaks.
The resulting economic burden fell heavily on commercial operations located within protection and surveillance zones, generating substantial indirect losses throughout the supply chain. Strict veterinary orders prohibited the repopulation of poultry houses, leaving facilities non-operational for extended periods and depriving producers of revenue. Severe transport and logistical constraints forced earlier-than-planned slaughter, reduced final live weights, and diverted table and hatching eggs to processing channels at significant discounts, while some eggs had to be destroyed.
Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF) will match the European Union’s €61 million allocation, bringing the total compensation package to approximately €120 million. The dedicated funding is intended to compensate producers for indirect operational and market losses resulting from the veterinary restrictions. All payments are required to be made to eligible farmers no later than May 31, 2027.
