NÖM pledges 8.1 million euros for drought hit farmers

Milk processor NÖM will provide 8.1 million euros in one off drought aid to farmers who supply it with milk, broadcaster ORF Vorarlberg reported on Tuesday.

The company, which merged with Vorarlberg Milch last summer, said the support would be available to affected farmers. The aid amounts to 1.6 cents for every litre of milk supplied.

About 400 suppliers in Vorarlberg deliver around 55 million litres of milk to NÖM each year. They will receive the same share as farmers in Lower Austria, NÖM board member Alfred Berger told ORF Vorarlberg. On a proportional basis, around 900,000 euros of the package is expected to go to Vorarlberg.

The payments are earmarked and will only be made if farmers have purchased feed or seed.

Prolonged drought has caused feed shortages in Vorarlberg this summer. Some farmers have already had to slaughter part of their livestock, while some alpine pastures brought their animals down to the valleys earlier than usual. The federal government has announced a 240 million euro relief package, and the province has presented additional measures.