La Rioja allocates 27,000 euros to the chamarita sheep breed

The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Affairs and Environment of La Rioja has granted a subsidy of 27,000 euros to the Riojan Association of Select Chamarita Breed Sheep (AROCHA) for the promotion of this native Spanish breed. The aid, co-financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is formalized through Resolution number 1879 of the General Directorate of Agriculture and Livestock, published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja number 162, dated August 25, 2026.

The resolution, which exhausts administrative remedies, is part of the call for subsidies aimed at the promotion of native Spanish breeds for the year 2026, approved by Resolution 764/2026, dated April 17. AROCHA’s application was submitted electronically on May 6, 2026, and the provisional proposal was published in the gazette on May 21, with no objections filed.

Aid divided into two lines

The subsidy is structured across two budget applications of the 2026 budget, with different aid intensity percentages depending on the activity:

• Current expenses (application 05-02-01-4122-480.01): 22,000 euros, which include the maintenance of the Herd Book at 100% (16,395 euros) and the implementation and development of the improvement program at 70% (6,735 euros).
• Investments (application 05-02-01-4122-780.00): 5,000 euros, entirely destined for the maintenance of the Herd Book at 100% of a planned investment of 6,100 euros.

The actual amount granted is adjusted to the maximums assigned in the Ministry’s budgets and does not exceed the amounts included in the report and budget submitted by the association. The State aid is registered with the European Commission under code SA.108727.

Obligations and justification

AROCHA must justify the execution of the subsidized activities before November 15, 2026, by submitting the required documentation:

• Final report detailing the actions carried out and their impact on the conservation and promotion of the breed.
• Justification account of the expenditure for each action, including original receipts and proof of payment.
• Certification of the total number of animals registered in the Herd Book between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026.

Justification shall be carried out via electronic processing, admitting electronic invoices or digitized authentic copies. An optional appeal for reversal may be filed with the Regional Minister within one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal may be filed with the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of La Rioja within two months.

A boost to Riojan livestock farming

The Chamarita sheep breed is one of the native Spanish breeds endangered by extinction, and its conservation is key for Riojan livestock farming. This grant, the only application submitted in the call, guarantees the maintenance of the Herd Book and the genetic improvement program, contributing to the preservation of the community’s livestock heritage and sustaining the activity of the farmers associated with AROCHA.

Source: Official Gazette of La Rioja, no. 162, August 25, 2026, section III. Other provisions and acts, pp. 14750-14752 (official reference: BOR-A-20260825-III–3287).