2025-04-022024/25:MJU10 · p.13MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Pasture requirements for more animal species
Grazing requirement extended to more types of livestock
What's at stake: The decision affects how animals such as bulls, pigs and poultry are kept and whether they get the chance for outdoor access and natural behaviour, while also affecting farmers' regulatory burden and competitiveness, particularly for smaller farms.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether parliament should now extend the statutory grazing requirement to more types of livestock beyond dairy cows, or whether the matter should wait until the ongoing government review of grazing legislation is complete.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions to extend the grazing requirement to more types of livestock. The reason is that an ongoing government review of grazing legislation is expected to already cover this very question, and the committee wants to await the outcome of that process before parliament takes a position.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 20 (V, MP)
The reservation (V, MP) calls for developing and extending the grazing requirement to more types of livestock, including by enabling compensation for more grazing time and for bulls, pigs, hens and chickens to have outdoor access. The reasoning is that grazing benefits animals' health and natural behaviour, and that leaving the requirement unchanged risks favouring large-scale producers at the expense of smaller farms and animal welfare.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 20 by V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 262–37Ja 200–99
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/20/0/4 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 90/1/1/14 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 20/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| M | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/8 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 62/0/0/10 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
Broke with the party line
| SLinus Sköld (S, Norrbottens län) | No — party line: Yes |
| STomas Eneroth (S, Kronobergs län) | Abstain — party line: Yes |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2024/25:1770 by Rebecka Le Moine et al. (MP) request 1 and 2024/25:3071 by Emma Nohrén et al. (MP) request 13.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:1770 av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP) yrkande 1 och 2024/25:3071 av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP) yrkande 13.
Riksdag decision: Animal veterinary services shall be given better conditions to conduct their operations. The Riksdag approved the government's proposal which means changes for businesses that offer health and veterinary services for animals. The aim is to ensure in the long term a well-functioning health and veterinary service for animals. Supervision of animal health and veterinary services shall be expanded; currently supervision only applies to the person performing an animal treatment. The proposal means that supervision now also applies to those who conduct a business where animal health personnel work. Today animal care assistants are not part of animal health personnel. Given that demand for animal veterinary services has increased greatly, animal care assistants will be able to become approved and thus be included in animal health personnel. Another change in the regulations concerns making it easier for foreign veterinarians to work in Sweden. The new regulations begin to apply on 1 September 2025 with the exception of changes relating to the qualifications for animal care assistants which instead begin to apply on 1 September 2030. The Riksdag also decided to direct a formal request (tillkännagivande), an appeal, to the government to protect and develop Swedish pasture rights.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to take measures to require increased price transparency from veterinary companies. (V, MP) — Reservation 20
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan establishes that all animal husbandry must be based on the principle that animals are sentient beings that should live good lives.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that all animal husbandry must be based on the principle that animals are sentient beings that should live good lives. Extended requirements for outdoor access and compensation for increased grazing time are a direct application of that, and fit the plan's investment in sustainable food production and long-term sustainable agriculture ahead of large-scale industrial production.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att all djurhållning ska utgå från att djur är kännande varelser som ska leva goda liv. Utökade krav på utomhusvistelse och ersättning för ökad betestid är en direkt tillämpning av det, och passar planens satsning på hållbar livsmedelsproduktion och ett långsiktigt hållbart jordbruk framför storskalig industriproduktion.
- animals are sentient beingsdecisive»All djurhållning ska utgå från att djur är kännande varelser som ska leva goda liv.« (party programme ↗)“All animal husbandry must be based on the principle that animals are sentient beings that should live good lives.”
- sustainable food production»En annan viktig del i den gröna omställningen är satsningar på hållbar livsmedelsproduktion.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“An important part of the green transition is investments in sustainable food production.”
- long-term sustainable agriculture»Jordbrukets långsiktiga hållbarhet är viktig för både ekosystemen och Sveriges ekonomiska självständighet.« (party programme ↗)“Agriculture's long-term sustainability is important for both ecosystems and Sweden's economic independence.”
- food from Swedish countryside»Hälsosammare mat från vår egen svenska landsbygd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Healthier food from our own Swedish countryside.”
The party programme makes ethical animal husbandry a basic principle of policy and demands that agricultural policy be designed according to the requirements for ecologically sustainable arable farming and safe food.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme makes ethical animal husbandry a basic principle of policy and demands that agricultural policy be designed according to the requirements for ecologically sustainable arable farming and safe food. Extended requirements for outdoor stay for more animal species, with compensation for increased grazing time, is a concrete expression of that principle and also benefits the diversity of the open landscape. The plan does not address the grazing requirement itself, so the conclusion is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet gör etisk djurhållning till en grundprincip för politiken och kräver att jordbrukspolitiken utformas efter kraven på ekologiskt uthålligt åkerbruk och säkra livsmedel. Utökade krav på utomhusvistelse för fler djurslag, med ersättning för ökad betestid, är ett konkret uttryck för den principen och gynnar dessutom det öppna landskapets mångfald. Planen behandlar inte beteskravet i sig, så slutsatsen är härledd.
- ethical animal husbandry as a basic principledecisive»och etisk djurhållning är grundprinciper.« (party programme ↗)“and ethical animal husbandry are basic principles.”
- sustainable arable farming»kraven på ekologisk uthålligt åkerbruk och säkra livsmedel.« (party programme ↗)“the requirements for ecologically sustainable arable farming and safe food.”
- open landscape and diversity»biologiska mångfalden måste skyddas« (party programme ↗)“biological diversity must be protected”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan establishes that animals should have the right and opportunity for natural behaviour and that animal husbandry should be adapted to it, and that natural pastures should be recreated with support for agriculture.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that animals should have the right and opportunity for natural behaviour and that animal husbandry should be adapted to it, and that natural pastures should be recreated with support for agriculture. A developed and expanded requirement for outdoor access for more animal species, with compensation for increased grazing time, follows from these commitments. The scope of the grazing requirement is not explicitly mentioned, therefore it is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att djuren ska ha rätt och möjlighet till ett naturligt beteende och att djurhållningen ska anpassas till det, samt att naturbetesmarker ska återskapas med stöd till lantbruket. Ett utvecklat och utökat krav på utomhusvistelse för fler djurslag, med ersättning för ökad betestid, följer av dessa åtaganden. Just beteskravets omfattning nämns inte uttryckligen, därför härledning.
- right to natural behaviourdecisive»Djuren ska ha rätt och möjlighet« (party programme ↗)“Animals should have the right and opportunity”
- support for natural pastures»ge mer stöd till lantbruket för omställning till ekologisk odling, återskapande av naturbetesmarker och andra miljöinsatser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“provide more support to agriculture for the transition to ecological cultivation, recreation of natural pastures and other environmental measures.”
- animals' intrinsic value»Alla djur har ett egenvärde oavsett deras nyttighet« (party programme ↗)“All animals have intrinsic value regardless of their utility”
- pastures and biodiversity»Betade ängs- och hagmarker är viktiga« (party programme ↗)“Grazed meadows and pastures are important”
The plan wants a vibrant, sustainable agriculture contributing to biological diversity, and establishes that whoever produces ecosystem services has the right to get paid.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants a vibrant, sustainable agriculture contributing to biological diversity, and establishes that whoever produces ecosystem services has the right to get paid. The counter-proposal wants to expand the requirement for outdoor time to more animal species and simultaneously replace increased grazing time, which combines animal welfare with profitability for smaller farms. Grazing animals also provide the open landscape the plan values. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill ett levande, hållbart jordbruk som bidrar till biologisk mångfald, och slår fast att den som producerar ekosystemtjänster har rätt att få betalt. Motförslaget vill utöka kravet på utomhusvistelse till fler djurslag och samtidigt ersätta ökad betestid, vilket förenar djurens välmående med lönsamhet för mindre gårdar. Betande djur ger också det öppna landskap planen värdesätter. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- sustainable agriculture with diversitydecisive»Vi ska arbeta för mer närodlad och klimatsmart mat och ett levande, hållbart jordbruk som bidrar till den biologiska mångfalden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall work for more local and climate-smart food and a vibrant, sustainable agriculture contributing to biological diversity.”
- paid for ecosystem services»Lika viktigt som skyldigheten att betala när man belastar miljön, är rättigheten att få betalt när man producerar ekosystemtjänster.« (party programme ↗)“As important as the duty to pay when one burdens the environment is the right to get paid when one produces ecosystem services.”
- livestock gives open landscape»Svensk djuruppfödning bidrar också till ett öppet landskap och möjliggör produktion av biogas.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish livestock farming also contributes to an open landscape and enables biogas production.”
- responsibility for animal welfare»Människan har ett särskilt ansvar att agera så att andra levande varelser också kan fortleva.« (party programme ↗)“Humanity has a particular responsibility to act so that other living things can also continue to exist.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme establishes that all animal husbandry must guarantee animals a dignified life and that agriculture shall be compensated for collective benefits such as nature conservation and preserved biological diversity, which covers both expanded requirements for outdoor access and compensation for grazing time.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that all animal husbandry must guarantee animals a dignified life and that agriculture shall be compensated for collective benefits such as nature conservation and preserved biological diversity, which covers both expanded requirements for outdoor access and compensation for grazing time. How we treat our animals is according to the plan a measure of our civilisation. The counter-proposal's requirements are therefore supported by the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att all djurhållning måste garantera djuren ett värdigt liv och att jordbruket ska ersättas för kollektiva nyttigheter som naturvård och bevarad biologisk mångfald, vilket täcker både utökade krav på utomhusvistelse och ersättning för betestid. Hur vi hanterar våra djur är enligt planen ett mått på vår civilisation. Motförslagets krav stöds därför av planen.
- dignified life for animalsdecisive»All djurhållning måste garantera djuren ett värdigt liv och en anständig död. Kontrollen av att« (party programme ↗)“All animal husbandry must guarantee animals a dignified life and a decent death. Inspection of”
- compensation for collective benefits»ersättas för kollektiva nyttigheter som naturvård samt bevarande av den biologiska mångfalden.« (party programme ↗)“compensated for collective benefits such as nature conservation and preservation of biological diversity.”
- responsibility for animals»Hur vi hanterar våra djur är ett mått på vår civilisation och en förutsättning för en god folkhälsa.« (party programme ↗)“How we treat our animals is a measure of our civilisation and a prerequisite for good public health.”
- open landscape and diversity»landskapsvård, miljöskydd och bevarad biologisk mångfald.« (party programme ↗)“landscape conservation, environmental protection and preservation of biological diversity.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that animals in human care live as natural a life as possible and that consideration is given to their physiological and behavioural needs, which entails the requirement for outdoor stays for more animal species.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that animals in human care live as natural a life as possible and that consideration is given to their physiological and behavioural needs, which entails the requirement for outdoor stays for more animal species. That sustainable family farms should remain the basis speaks against rules that favour large-scale production. At the same time, the election manifesto wants cost reductions for agriculture, which makes new requirements less clear-cut.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att djur i människans vård får leva ett så naturligt liv som möjligt och att hänsyn tas till deras fysiologiska och beteendemässiga behov, vilket bär kravet på utomhusvistelse för fler djurslag. Att bärkraftiga familjejordbruk ska förbli basen talar mot regler som gynnar storskalig produktion. Samtidigt vill valmanifestet ha kostnadslättnader för lantbruket, vilket gör nya krav mindre entydiga.
- animals should live naturallydecisive»dessa djur får leva ett så naturligt liv som möjligt.« (party programme ↗)“these animals are to live as natural a life as possible.”
- animals' behavioural needs»djurens hälsa främjas och hänsyn tas till djurens fysiologiska och beteendemässiga behov« (party programme ↗)“the animals' health is promoted and consideration is given to the animals' physiological and behavioural needs”
- family farms as the basis»familjejordbruk bör även i fortsättningen vara basen i« (party programme ↗)“family farms should also continue to be the basis in”
- agriculture's competitiveness»Regeländringar och kostnadslättnader för svenskt lantbruk för att öka Sveriges självförsörjning och stärka lantbrukets konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Regulatory changes and cost reductions for Swedish agriculture to increase Sweden's self-sufficiency and strengthen agriculture's competitiveness.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The counter-proposal demands that the requirement for outdoor access be developed and expanded to more animal species, with compensation for increased grazing time.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal demands that the requirement for outdoor access be developed and expanded to more animal species, with compensation for increased grazing time. The plan's line is to support, not steer agriculture: the number of rules should decrease, processing times should be shortened and administrative costs should go down, while domestic food production should increase. New requirements for animal husbandry go against this, which is why the plan rejects the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget kräver att kravet på utomhusvistelse utvecklas och utökas till fler djurslag, med ersättning för ökad betestid. Planens linje är att stötta, inte styra jordbruket: antalet regler ska minska, handläggningstiderna kortas och kostnaderna för administration gå ner, samtidigt som den inhemska livsmedelsproduktionen ska öka. Nya krav på djurhållningen går emot det, varför planen avvisar kravet.
- support not steer agriculturedecisive»Vi ska stötta, inte styra, jord- och skogsbruket« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall support, not steer, agriculture and forestry”
- fewer agriculture rules»Minska antalet regler för jordbruket och korta handläggningstider för miljötillstånd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the number of rules for agriculture and shorten processing times for environmental permits”
- increased food production»Stärka jordbruket för att öka den inhemska produktionen av livsmedel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen agriculture to increase domestic food production”
- lower costs for agriculture»Moderaterna vill förbättra förutsättningarna att driva lantbruk genom att sänka skatterna, vilket vi redan börjat göra på drivmedel, och minska regelkrånglet så att kostnaderna för administration går ner.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Moderaterna will improve conditions to run agriculture by lowering taxes, which we have already started doing on fuel, and reduce regulatory red tape so that administrative costs go down.”
The plan explicitly wants to increase the opportunity for cattle to graze outdoors and give dairy farmers special compensation for the additional costs when cows graze outside, i.e., both expanded outdoor time and compensation for grazing time.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly wants to increase the opportunity for cattle to graze outdoors and give dairy farmers special compensation for the additional costs when cows graze outside, i.e., both expanded outdoor time and compensation for grazing time. The plan also wants to compensate animal farmers who maintain higher standards than the EU generally, which addresses the objection about competitive disadvantages for smaller farms. The counter-proposal's demands thus align with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill uttryckligen öka möjligheten för tamboskap att gå ute och ge mjölkbönder särskild ersättning för merkostnaden när korna betar utomhus, alltså både utökad utevistelse och ersättning för betestid. Planen vill också ersätta djurhållare som håller högre standard än EU generellt, vilket bemöter invändningen om konkurrensnackdelar för mindre gårdar. Motförslagets krav ligger därmed i linje med planen.
- compensation for grazing managementdecisive»Det är även angeläget att underlätta för djurhållare att kunna ha sina djur utomhus. Sverigedemokraterna vill ge svenska mjölkbönder en särskild ersättning för den merkostnad det innebär att låta mjölkkor beta utomhus om somrarna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is also important to make it easier for animal farmers to have their animals outdoors. Sweden Democrats want to give Swedish dairy farmers special compensation for the additional costs of letting dairy cows graze outdoors in summer.”
- expanded outdoor time for animals»Öka möjligheten för tamboskap att gå ute« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase the opportunity for cattle to graze outdoors”
- animals' natural behaviour»Sverigedemokraterna vill ha ett stärkt djurskydd där större hänsyn tas till djurens naturliga beteende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want strengthened animal protection where greater consideration is given to animals' natural behaviour.”
- open landscape through grazing»Att jordbruksmarken brukas och att igenväxning motverkas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“That agricultural land is worked and overgrowth prevented”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:MJU10)
- Committee report full text (HC01MJU10)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1020 — Ny djurskötarutbildning av Kerstin Lundgren (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1024 — Små slakterier av Anders W Jonsson (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1308 — Myndighet och minister för djurskydd av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1373 — Livsmedel av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1395 — Jordbruk - ökad konkurrenskraft utan förlust av biologisk mångfald av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1397 — Djurskydd av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1533 — Fler veterinärer i Sverige av Alexandra Anstrell m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2024/25:1750 — Utfasning av turbokycklingar av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1751 — Förbud mot avlivning av hankycklingar av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1752 — Förbud mot burhållning av hönor av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1770 — Betesrätten av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:195 — Konsumenträtt av Andreas Lennkvist Manriquez m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:1983 — Trygga köp av hundburar av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2129 — Grisars rätt till ett värdigt liv av Sanna Backeskog m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:215 — Omhändertagande av djur som far illa av Lina Nordquist (L)
- Motion 2024/25:2291 — Förbud mot särskilt farliga hundraser av Fredrik Kärrholm (M)
- Motion 2024/25:234 — Förbud mot halal- och koscherslakt av Richard Jomshof (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:2484 — Virtuella stängsel av Stina Larsson och Helena Vilhelmsson (båda C)
- Motion 2024/25:2536 — Djurtillsyn av Jan Ericson (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2599 — Tillträde till bostäder i djurskyddsärenden av Jan Ericson (M)
Source: The Swedish Parliament