Polish Ministry rejects deadline extension for winter cover crops

The Polish Ministry of Agriculture has rejected a request from the National Council of Agricultural Chambers to extend the deadline for sowing winter cover crops. Under the ‘Carbon Farming and Nutrient Management’ eco-scheme, winter cover crops must be sown by October 1.

Agricultural chambers argued that weather conditions, including spring droughts and summer heat followed by heavy rainfall, have delayed corn maturation. This prevents farmers from harvesting corn in time to meet the cover crop deadline without risking poor feed quality due to high moisture content or low starch levels. Farmers currently face a choice between harvesting corn prematurely or missing the deadline for eco-scheme compliance.