The European Commission has approved Sweden’s proposal to extend animal welfare payments for dairy cows to include compensation for grazing.
Previously focused on improving hoof health in dairy herds, the scheme will now also support farmers who keep their cows on pasture, with payments set at 1,300 Swedish kronor per animal.
Applications opened on 23 March. The scheme, administered by the Swedish Board of Agriculture, will remain open until 9 April. Authorities have allocated SEK 334 million for this year and the same amount for 2027—up sharply from SEK 36 million in 2025.
The change follows an EU decision in December to grant member states greater flexibility under a “simplification package”, allowing compensation for measures already required under national law, such as Sweden’s long-standing summer grazing rules.
Erica Persson, Deputy Head of Department at the Swedish Board of Agriculture, said in a press release that the aim was to make the scheme straightforward for farmers to apply for and administer. She added that a tight timeline led to the expansion of the existing payment rather than the creation of a new scheme for 2026.
Proposals to divide the support into separate payments for grazing and hoof health from next year will be submitted to the government by 1 April.
To qualify, farmers must meet both hoof health and grazing requirements and keep records of when cows are on pasture. Existing documentation submitted to dairies or organic certification bodies may be used for inspections.