Drought in Bavaria forces early maize harvest and impacts fodder supply

Extreme drought and heat waves in 2026 are significantly impacting agriculture in Bavaria, causing maize crops to enter emergency ripening stages. This weather volatility, characterized by spring cold, hail, and prolonged summer dryness, is forcing many farmers to harvest maize earlier than usual to secure feed.

Regarding the use of fallow land for fodder during this shortage, regulations depend on how the land is classified. While voluntary fallow areas can generally be converted back to production for feed by recoding them in EU agricultural applications before September 30, 2026, farmers must exercise caution. Using land designated under eco-schemes (Ökoregelung) or specific environmental programs like KULAP for fodder production will result in the loss of subsidies and eligibility for those programs.