Dimitris Kourtas, Regional Governor of Thessaly, has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis proposing eight key measures to strengthen and modernize Greece’s livestock sector. The proposals come amid ongoing challenges from animal disease outbreaks, particularly bluetongue and foot-and-mouth disease, which have severely impacted farmers across the country and Thessaly in particular. Highlighting Thessaly’s central role in national livestock production—with the largest number of sheep and goats, numerous dairy and meat-processing facilities, and significant export activity—Kourtas emphasizes the urgent need for reform. His recommendations include mandating biosecurity measures for farm licensing, enhancing farmer education, unifying fragmented data systems, establishing genetic resource centers for native breeds, enforcing mandatory lab testing of imported animals, and creating permanent joint inspection teams. He also calls for annual training for all stakeholders—including transporters, slaughterhouse operators, and traders—and immediate staffing of vacant veterinary positions. These initiatives, if adopted following consultation with scientific and professional bodies, aim to future-proof Greece’s livestock industry, boost resilience against epidemics, and elevate the global profile of its agricultural products.
Dimitris Kourtas’s Letter to Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Supporting Greek Livestock Farming
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