Agricultural insurance for forage crops 2026: conditions, prices and who should contract it

Key data

If you have an operation with forage crops in Spain, this regulation determines exactly what you can insure, under what conditions and at what price. The Order APA/1166/2026 entered into force on November 5, 2026 and develops the framework of the 47th Combined Agricultural Insurance Plan for this type of production.

This is not a regulation of mandatory compliance in the sense of imposing forced contracting, but it does define the framework within which you can protect your operation against climate risks and other covered losses. Understanding its conditions is key to deciding whether to contract, what to contract and whether your plot meets the minimum requirements.

What does this regulation establish?

Order APA/1166/2026 structures insurance for forage crop operations into several differentiated blocks. Below are all the regulated elements:

Insurable assets

The regulation defines four categories of assets that can be included in the policy:

• Forage crops
• Winter cereal straw
• Pastures
• Forage seeds

Additionally, irrigation facilities linked to these operations are included as insurable assets.

Express exclusions

The following situations or types of plots are outside the scope of coverage:

• Experimental plots
• Abandoned plots
• Family gardens
• Fallow land

Other regulated elements

The regulation also establishes that its conditions will apply to the 48th Combined Agricultural Insurance Plan on the terms approved by the Council of Ministers, which gives it continuity beyond the current fiscal year.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this regulation is twofold: on one hand, it opens the possibility of protecting forage production against losses from climate risks and other losses; on the other, it establishes minimum technical conditions that must be met to access that coverage.

From an economic perspective, the unit prices set in the order determine the actual cost of the premium. Although the regulation does not publish a single tariff for all crops (prices vary by type of asset and zone), it does set the official tariff framework within which insurance companies in the system operate.

An element relevant to the operation's financial planning is that irrigation facilities are also insurable, which extends coverage beyond the crop itself and can represent significant protection for operations with installed irrigation infrastructure.

Exclusions also have operational impact: if a plot is classified as abandoned or designated for fallow, it cannot be included in the policy. This requires reviewing the administrative and productive status of each plot before subscribing.

Who does it affect?

• Farmers with forage crops anywhere in Spanish territory where the order's scope applies
• Livestock producers who produce or manage pastures for feeding their herds
• Winter cereal straw producers who want to insure that production
• Forage seed producers included in the scope of the regulation
• Operations with irrigation facilities linked to forage crops
• Agricultural advisors and operation managers who must recommend coverage to their clients
• Agricultural cooperatives that manage collective insurance for their members

Operations whose plots are classified as experimental, abandoned or fallow, nor family-use gardens are not affected.

Practical example

Imagine a livestock operation in Castilla y León that combines own pastures, forage maize cultivation and a sprinkler irrigation system. With Order APA/1166/2026, the owner can subscribe to insurance that simultaneously covers:

• The pastures (as an insurable asset expressly included)
• The forage maize crop (included in the forage crops category)
• The irrigation facility (insurable as a complementary asset)

However, if part of its plots are in a state of abandonment or designated for fallow that year, those areas will be excluded from coverage and cannot be declared in the policy. The livestock producer must review the status of each plot before the subscription date to avoid paying premiums for uncovered areas or leaving covered areas without coverage if they were correctly declared.

What should farmers and livestock producers do now?

1. Review the status of your plots: Identify which are in active production and which could be classified as abandoned or fallow, as the latter are excluded from coverage.
2. Identify the insurable assets of your operation: Check if you have forage crops, pastures, winter cereal straw, forage seeds or irrigation facilities that can be included in the policy.
3. Check subscription dates: The order sets deadlines for contracting. After those dates, you cannot subscribe for the corresponding guarantee period. Contact your insurance company or Agroseguro to find out the exact deadlines.
4. Verify compliance with minimum technical conditions: The regulation establishes technical cultivation requirements that must be met for the plot to be insurable. Review them with your agricultural advisor.
5. Plan coverage also for the 48th Plan: The regulation will apply to the next plan on the terms approved by the Council of Ministers, so current conditions will serve as a reference for medium-term planning.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-23243