21 April 2026 - Livestock farmers at breaking point, foot-and-mouth disease spiraling out of control
The management of foot-and-mouth disease has unfortunately failed to deliver the expected results, with recent public reports referring to 101 infected units, two of which are pig farms.
The spread to pig farms significantly complicates the operational landscape and shows that the measures implemented so far have not performed as they should. When a crisis expands instead of being contained, the state cannot hide behind general statements. It must provide answers, identify which links in the chain failed, and immediately restore the trust of producers.
Foot-and-mouth disease has brought livestock farming to its knees. We have not managed to sufficiently contain the spread of the virus, we have already lost a significant portion of our livestock, and, according to the farmers themselves, one in two may not be able to return to production. This is not just a difficult situation, it is a failure of management with heavy social, economic, and productive costs for rural areas and the country’s food security.
At the same time, the government is underestimating a critical dimension of the crisis: the psychological exhaustion of livestock farmers. The damage is not only financial but also human; grief, anxiety, and uncertainty about the future. Psychological strain is part of the crisis and must be treated as such.
Yet in Cyprus, it continues to be treated as secondary. A producer watching their unit collapse cannot be expected to cooperate with difficult measures without transparency, adequate information, and meaningful support.
For Volt, a responsible state must operate with transparency, accountability, and real support. For this reason, we urgently call for:
• Financial support for affected livestock farmers. Funds should be provided to cover loan interest, and the total, real cost they face must be calculated; not only from the culling of animals but from the overall disruption of their production cycle.
• The identification, without evasions, of gaps in the implementation of measures, particularly regarding movements, inspections, and compliance with biosecurity protocols.
• Immediate strengthening of controls on movements in affected and high-risk areas, along with proper information.
• Support for livestock farmers through a psychological support hotline, support groups in affected areas, and the integration of mental health care into the crisis management plan.
• A Recovery Plan for livestock farming. The creation of a support framework beyond compensation, so that producers can remain viable and return to farming.
Livestock farmers and rural communities are already at their limits. They do not need more vague assurances. They need a state that functions and supports people in practice.
Changing current. Take a stand