Organic livestock farming: new regulations

Abstract

This paper summarises the main rules to be complied with by organic livestock farms under the new European regulations on organic farming, which has been applied in all Member States since 1 January 2022. Compared to the previous Regulations, the new Regulations cover more animal species. Some of the rules applying the principles of naturality, connection to the soil and a high level of animal welfare are more detailed and sometimes stricter, with fewer cases for derogations. Following a summary of the conditions for certification of organic livestock farming, we set out the regulatory measures relating to the provenance of animals, the choice of breeds and strains and the authorised reproduction methods, as well as those concerning animal feeding, housing conditions and the management of animal health and welfare. For each topic, we specify the rules applying to all species in organic farming covered by the European regulations (cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, poultry, bees, aquaculture animals), as well as the main particularities for each species.