The Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Medio Rural y Política Ambiental of Castilla y León approved new flexibility measures on September 29, 2026, for applying crop eco-schemes during the 2026/2027 agricultural season. Announced by the consejero de Agricultura, Ganadería, Medio Rural y Política Ambiental, Joaquín Antonio Pino, the changes reduce the minimum crop rotation surface to 25%, permit the computation of fallow land following legumes, and authorize vertical tillage in direct sowing while keeping stubble on the soil to counter high populations of the common vole and rising production costs.
Castilla y León Ecorule Adjustments for 2026 and 2027
Under the new resolution, the required surface for crop rotation with ameliorating species drops to 25% each year. Land declared as fallow after a legume crop now counts toward meeting the rotation percentage. For direct sowing practices, the regional government permits vertical tillage through cultivators, chisels, or small disc harrows as long as the soil is not inverted and stubble stays on the surface year-round. These adaptations follow an earlier resolution from September 25 that advanced the harvesting period for sunflower plots declared as unharvested within the biodiversity eco-scheme.
The regional administration enacted these modifications after declaring exceptional circumstances due to soaring common vole populations, following scientific and technical recommendations from the Rodents and Other Vertebrates Commission. Joaquín Antonio Pino noted that high fertilizer and fuel prices, tight profit margins, and weak market prices for herbaceous crops necessitate rules that prevent administrative hurdles from penalizing food producers.
Did You Know? The regional measures formally address the presence of elevated common vole populations by following the scientific and technical advice issued directly by the Rodents and Other Vertebrates Commission.
Demands for National Agricultural Reform in Spain
While the regional government used its own jurisdiction to implement these adjustments, Joaquín Antonio Pino stated that many rigid elements of the Common Agricultural Policy stem from the national design of Spain’s Strategic Plan, known as the PEPAC. Pino plans to open fresh talks with the Government of Spain to demand additional changes spanning crop rotations, ameliorating crops, legumes, mixed dryland and irrigated farms, direct sowing, and biodiversity spaces. The regional department argues that current national regulations remain excessively bureaucratic and interventionist, placing unfair administrative burdens on professional farmers.
Pino emphasized that Castilla y León does not seek to remove environmental commitments, but rather aims to make compliance realistic for each territory’s actual conditions. The regional stance insists that technology and regulatory controls must assist agricultural professionals rather than treat them as presumptive lawbreakers or burden them with permanent administrative management.
Regional administration adjusts crop rotation requirements and permits vertical tillage
What specific changes were made to crop rotation requirements?
The regional administration reduced the minimum surface area required to present a different crop each year to 25%, and allowed fallow land following a legume crop to count toward the rotation percentage.
Why did the regional government authorize vertical tillage?
Vertical tillage using cultivators, chisels, or small disc harrows is now permitted in direct sowing to help prevent and control high populations of the common vole while keeping stubble on the ground.
What is the regional government demanding from the national administration?
Joaquín Antonio Pino will press the Government of Spain to utilize its full authority to simplify the national PEPAC model, altering rules on rotations, legumes, mixed farms, and direct sowing.
How will these regulatory adjustments impact day-to-day operations for farmers across the region during the upcoming planting cycle?
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