NÖM sets up 8.1 million euro drought aid for dairy farms

Austria’s NÖM dairy has established a drought aid package worth around 8.1 million euros for its 2,600 milk suppliers, ORF reported. The money is intended for animal feed and new seed.

The suppliers include members of the Lower Austrian milk cooperative and those of the new Vorarlberg Milch eGen. NÖM said the farmers were the foundation of the company and that it had a responsibility to support them in difficult times.

The total was calculated from milk deliveries in 2025. NÖM will pay 1.6 cents per kilogram of milk delivered, meaning the support will be based on each supplier’s individual delivery volume rather than distributed as a flat amount.

Support restricted to feed and seed

Farmers must provide invoices or receipts for all expenses covered by the assistance. The programme subsidises purchases of dairy cattle feed, including hay, straw and maize silage, as well as seed for permanent meadows, field forage and green-cut rye.

All eligible farms will be informed in writing. Applications must be submitted through NÖM’s internal supplier platform. The money does not have to be repaid, provided the farm continues supplying NÖM until the end of 2027.