Outdoor cattle grazing

How can I get exempted?

If you are unable to provide your cattle with an outdoor space for grazing, you can write to The Finnish Food Agency and ask for permission to keep your cows indoors in the summer.

There is no application form, so you need to explain your circumstances in your own words.

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Make sure that your application includes at least the following information:

• your name, address and telephone number
• your farm ID, the address of your farm and your business ID
• the number of dairy cows and dairy heifers aged at least eight months that you keep tethered on your farm
• the reason why your dairy cows and heifers cannot be allowed outdoors
• the layout of your farm
• a map of any fields and other land on the farm that lie within one kilometre of the barn
• any other relevant information that could influence the decision

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The applicant may be asked to provide further information. In some cases, we conduct an inspection on the farm. If an inspection is necessary, we will contact you and arrange a suitable time.

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In what circumstances do cows not need to be allowed outdoors in the summer?

The Finnish Food Agency can grant special permission to keep cows indoors in the summer if

• there is no suitable pasture or exercise yard on the farm,
• providing an outdoor space for grazing would place an unreasonable burden on the farmer, or
• compliance with the grazing requirement cannot be achieved without unreasonable inconvenience due to the surrounding transport infrastructure, terrain or distances.

Farmers can be exempted from the grazing requirement for a maximum of three years. The Finnish Food Agency can withdraw the exemption if circumstances on the farm change.