Austria approves 240 million euros in drought aid for farmers
Friday 21st August 2026 on 21:45 in
Austria
Austria’s federal government has agreed on a 240 million euro aid package for farmers affected by drought, with the measures receiving a positive response in Salzburg, ORF reported.
About 140 million euros will cover a planned two-month waiver of social insurance contributions. The federal government will initially fund the measure, with financing offset by lower pension subsidies for farmers’ social insurance system, according to Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer of the Social Democratic Party.
Further measures include investment support and interest subsidies. Contributions to hail insurance will also be reduced by 10 percent next year to encourage more farmers to take out coverage.
Salzburg expects several million euros
Franz Wieser, director of the Salzburg Chamber of Agriculture, called the package a first major relief for farmers facing a difficult period. He said farms could save several hundred to several thousand euros through the social insurance measure, depending on their size.
Wieser said it was not yet possible to calculate how much money would reach Salzburg, but estimated that the province would receive several million euros.
Maximilian Aigner, Salzburg’s agriculture councillor from the Austrian People’s Party, described the package as an important measure for farms across Austria, particularly in Salzburg. He said short-, medium- and long-term measures would now be needed.
Aigner said credit support would be particularly important for buying feed. He also highlighted the role of hail insurance, which is currently subsidised by public authorities at a rate of 55 percent. That support is to rise temporarily to 65 percent next year.
In the long term, Aigner said, hail insurance was the right way to help farms cope with drought and extreme weather. Many farms in Salzburg are still uninsured, particularly in alpine pasture farming, he said. The province would therefore need to examine how to make insurance more attractive and create clear incentives in the coming years.