At Agrométodos, we are taking note of one of the changes that will shape agricultural fertilisation management during 2026: the implementation of the fertilisation plan for numerous production units.
The measure forms part of the framework established by Royal Decree 1051/2022 on sustainable nutrition in agricultural soils and aims to move towards more planned fertilisation, adjusted to crop needs and based on information about soil, water and available nutrients.
It is not simply a matter of recording which fertilisers are used. The plan must define in advance what the crop needs and how those needs are expected to be met during the growing season.
When Will the Fertilisation Plan Become Mandatory?
Following the amendment introduced by Royal Decree 934/2025, the general date for having a fertilisation plan in place is 1 September 2026.
However, there is a specific timetable for certain irrigated production units: when the crop is sown or planted between 1 March and 30 June 2026, the obligation applies from 1 January 2026.
This difference in dates makes it particularly important to check the specific situation of each production unit rather than applying the same timetable to the entire farm.
Which Farms Are Exempt?
The obligation applies to each production unit, although the legislation provides for certain exemptions.
A fertilisation plan will not be required for:
- units used exclusively as pasture where no fertilisation is applied;
- rainfed units not exceeding 10 hectares;
- units of up to 10 hectares used exclusively for pasture or forage crops intended for self-consumption.
Manure deposited directly by livestock while grazing is not considered fertilisation for these purposes.
These exemptions should be distinguished from those applying to other requirements under the legislation, such as certain entries in the farm register, as the same surface-area criteria are not always used.
What Information Must the Plan Contain?
The plan must be prepared for each production unit and must clearly identify the plots that make it up.
From there, the planning must bring together the information required to determine the nutritional needs of the crop and define how nutrient applications will be carried out.
Can the Plan Be Modified?
Yes. The legislation allows the plan to be modified throughout the growing season in order to adapt it to crop development and weather conditions.
This is particularly relevant in agriculture, where the actual situation of a field may develop differently from what was expected at the beginning of the cycle. Any modifications must remain within the principles established by the legislation.
Planning Is Not the Same as Recording
Another important aspect is to distinguish between the fertilisation plan and the farm register.
Fertilisation plan
The former sets out the fertilisation planning: what the crop needs and how nutrient applications are expected to be carried out.
Farm register
The latter records the actions that are actually carried out.
They are therefore related tools, but they perform different functions. The plan introduces a process of prior planning that must subsequently remain consistent with the operations actually carried out.
When Will Technical Advice Become Mandatory?
The requirement to have a fertilisation plan does not mean that all farms must immediately have technical fertilisation advice.
The legislation establishes that this advice will become mandatory one year after the plan comes into force for units located in vulnerable zones and two years later for all other production units. Units exempt from the fertilisation plan are also exempt from this requirement.
Preparing the Plan Based on Knowledge of the Farm
The fertilisation plan reinforces a fundamental idea: fertilisation must be planned according to soil characteristics, crop needs and available resources.
Having adequate information makes it possible to adjust nutrient inputs more accurately and analyse the evolution of the farm using comparable criteria from one growing season to the next.
During 2026, it will be particularly important to review which production units are subject to the obligation, gather the available information and check whether it is sufficient to prepare the plan in accordance with the legislation.
On the Agrométodos blog, we will continue sharing information on plant nutrition, fertilisation and developments in the agricultural sector, providing farmers and professionals with content that helps them understand the changes affecting crop management.
