Farmers can now apply for aid for sheep and goats in areas hit by sheep pox. Applications opened on 19 October and close on 27 October 2026 inclusive, the Agriculture and Food Ministry said. Sheep and goat breeders in zones under restrictions because of the disease can apply.

Up to €1.8m is available for these farmers. State Fund Agriculture announced the scheme on 1 October, and the fund's management board approved the budget.

See also: State Fund Agriculture gives up to €1.8m to farmers in sheep pox restriction zones

The aid is up to €8 per live animal, under the "de minimis" rule, and will cover part of the cost of animal feed.

Farmers can apply if they are registered under Ordinance No. 3 of 1999 and keep their sheep and goats at registered livestock sites. The sites must be in villages or towns where the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) has imposed restrictions. Applications go to the municipal agriculture offices.

Farmers who already applied for the earlier emergency "de minimis" aid under the "Livestock" and "Crop production" schemes do not need to file a new application. That round ran from 15 September to 2 October. The ministry said this cuts paperwork and means the money will be paid faster. Farmers who did not apply then, but are on the BFSA list of affected farms, must submit an application.

From June to September, the BFSA found outbreaks of the disease in the regions of Plovdiv, Haskovo, Stara Zagora, Kardzhali, Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Yambol and Sofia. Each outbreak has a 5 km protection zone and a 20 km surveillance zone around it. The ministry said the restrictions were imposed because of the difficult situation with the animal disease.

In 2025, State Fund Agriculture approved €1,147,584 (2,244,480 leva) for similar aid, shared among 732 farmers, the fund's data show.