Agriculture opens grants of one million euros for cattle hides

The Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (DARPA) has opened the call for de minimis aid to compensate cattle livestock farms in Catalonia for the costs of disposing of carcasses resulting from health restrictions due to contagious nodular dermatosis. The measure is formalized by Resolution ARP/3566/2026, of September 29, published in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat de Catalunya (DOGC) no. 9769, of October 8, 2026, with the reference CVE-DOGC-A-26279047-2026. The call has a maximum allocation of 1,000,000.00 euros.

Regulatory framework and origin of the aid

The call derives from Order ARP/170/2026, of September 8, which approves the regulatory bases that shall govern the aid to cattle livestock farms in Catalonia affected by contagious nodular dermatosis (DOGC no. 9749, of 10.9.2026). The applicable regime is that of Commission Regulation (EU) 1408/2013, of December 18, 2013, on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid to the agricultural sector.

According to the text of the Resolution, the purpose of the subsidy is to compensate cattle livestock farms in Catalonia for the costs and loss of income derived from the mandatory control and eradication measures adopted following the declaration of outbreaks of contagious nodular dermatosis in Catalonia. The stated objective is to promote policies in the field of animal health.

The immediate precedent dates back to November 2025, when the Government adopted health safeguard measures against contagious nodular dermatosis in Catalonia, as recorded in the DOGC in another provision of the same year.

Amounts, module and eligible period

• Aid amount: 90.00 euros per disposed carcass.
• Calculation: each slaughtered animal equals one carcass.
• Eligible period: from October 3, 2025 to November 17, 2025, both inclusive.
• Data source: the livestock electronic management program (GTR) of DARPA.
• Limit per company: 50,000.00 euros in any three-year period, summing all de minimis aid received, regardless of the granting administration.
• Budget line: AG03/D/470000100/6110/0002, “to private companies”, from the 2026 DARPA budgets.
• BDNS code: 933357.

The maximum total amount may be increased in accordance with article 92.4.b of the revised text of the Public Finance Law of Catalonia, approved by Legislative Decree 3/2002, of December 24, provided there is effective credit availability before the granting resolution.

Deadlines, processing and appeals

The deadline for submitting applications is 20 working days, starting the day after the publication of the Resolution in the DOGC. Applications must be submitted electronically and formalized according to the models available on the electronic office.

• Instructing body: Animal Health Service.
• Competent body to resolve: Directorate General of Agriculture and Livestock.
• Grant regime: non-competitive concurrence, without comparing applications, based on available funds.
• Deadline to resolve and publish: six months from the day after the publication of the call.
• Justification: together with the application, by modules, with an explanatory report and an economic report.
• Administrative silence: dismissive if an express resolution is not issued and notified within the deadline.

Against the Resolution, which ends the administrative route, an optional appeal for reversal may be filed before the competent body within one month, or directly a contentious-administrative appeal before the High Court of Justice of Catalonia within two months. The Resolution is dated Barcelona, September 29, 2026, and bears the signature of the counselor Òscar Ordeig i Molist.

Impact on the sector

The grants come after sanitary safeguard measures for the disease were adopted in November 2025, which forced restrictions on the movement of animals destined for slaughter and increased the cost of waste disposal at farms without sanitary emptying. The call specifically covers this additional cost, calculated based on the animals sent to slaughter during the autumn of 2025.

For the beneficiary farms, the process is a single step: the justification is submitted together with the application and payment is made once compliance with the requirements is verified. The limit of 50,000 euros per company over three years and the non-competitive nature of the grant are the two elements that condition the actual scope of the aid.

Source: Official Gazette of the Generalitat de Catalunya, no. 9769, October 8, 2026, Other provisions, pp. 1-5 (official reference: CVE-DOGC-A-26279047-2026).