Lesbos battles foot-and-mouth disease outbreak
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More than 40 veterinarians and agricultural scientists are working on the Greek island of Lesbos to trace and eradicate foot-and-mouth disease, which has killed thousands of sheep and goats.
The teams are sampling livestock across the island and have inspected over 80% of herds, leaving around 300 farms still to check.
The Greek government will begin distributing compensation to over 104 farmers for approximately 20,000 animals culled due to the disease, with a total of €7.464 million already allocated for compensation, lost income, and support for local dairy businesses. Farmers will also receive compensation for lost income in the second half of 2026, and for milk unable to be sold, with payments being tax-free, non-transferable, and protected from seizure.
To aid the effort, the Ministry of National Defence is coordinating operations on the ground, though the Ministry of Rural Development and Food retains overall strategic responsibility and veterinary decision-making. Officials identified at least 13 infected farms where required measures were not taken, calling them “health bombs,” and are urging the regional council to reverse a decision pausing culling and tracing.
The government is also working to preserve the genetic material of the Lesbos sheep breed through a program involving 86 farms and approximately 22,000 certified animals.
