In Belgium, cattle farming underpins the rural economy and shapes the landscape.
A pillar of the rural economy
In Belgium, cattle farming underpins the rural economy and shapes the landscape. With permanent grasslands, deep‑rooted know‑how, and exports to neighboring countries, the sector is undergoing major change while preserving its social and territorial role. In Wallonia, more than half of farms keep cattle: around 7,300 farms, 6,830 of which have more than ten head 1. From the Ardennes plateaus to the Famenne, nearly 48% of the utilized agricultural area consists of permanent grassland—a land use aligned with grass‑based systems and natural watering. The beef cattle segment provides substantial employment, with roughly 12,000 jobs across farming and processing 2. In Flanders, livestock production is denser and more mixed, with a higher share of dairy cows. About half of Belgium’s beef is exported 3—mainly to France, the Netherlands, and Germany—reinforcing stringent requirements for quality, traceability, and compliance with European standards.
The “Blue Crescent”: a decisive natural advantage
Across Europe, water availability is reshaping the balance. The “Blue Crescent” encompasses temperate, humid zones—from Galicia to Bavaria via Belgium—where grass grows naturally and animal watering does not depend on intensive irrigation. This natural advantage gives Belgian cattle farming a particular responsibility: to develop productive, resource‑efficient systems that respect ecological balances while sustaining jobs and services in rural areas.
Consumption and herd trends: a gradual transformation
Average meat consumption in Belgium is about 63 kg per person per year (carcass‑weight equivalent), of which nearly 10 kg is beef. Over the past 20 years, the national herd has fallen by about 30% 4, and the number of cattle farmers in Wallonia by around 60%, leading to farm restructuring and larger average farm size. These shifts have improved certain environmental indicators while raising questions about the maintenance of permanent grassland, farm succession, and the attractiveness of the profession.
Structuring the transition and planning ahead
Several sector‑wide governance initiatives are supporting the transition. Among them, Belbeef brings together a large majority of producers around specifications that incorporate traceability, animal welfare, and reduced antibiotic use. Its Sustainability Observatory tracks 45 indicators spanning ecology, water, energy, animal health, and biodiversity, providing a tool for transparency and continuous improvement. The PROBOV project, looking ahead to 2040, explores four contrasting scenarios—industrialization, specialization, diversity of models, or renewed social recognition of livestock farming—to inform public and private decision‑making.
Discover our tools and case studies to strengthen the territorial and social foundations of Belgium’s cattle sector.
1 État de l’agriculture wallonne – Cheptel bovin – https://etat-agriculture.wallonie.be/contents/indicatorsheets/EAW-A_II_c_1.eew-sheet.html?thematic=6e07241b-41c6-46e5-b5ef-4e11d65b1b7a
2 Plan de développement stratégique de la viande bovine (Collège des producteurs, 2023)
3 Chiffres issus du Belgian Meat Office – www.flandersmeat.com/fr/product/viande-bovine
4 Chiffres issus de l’État de l’Agriculture Wallonne, entre les années 1990 et 2023.
