New EU agricultural data requirements: what changes for farms and organizations in 2026

Key data

If your agricultural farm participates in the Agricultural Sustainability Data Network or if you manage the reporting systems of a national statistical organization, this regulation directly affects you. The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2241, published on 9 October 2026, amends Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2746 and definitively repeals Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/220, thus closing the stage of the old Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) and consolidating the new REDSA model.

The change is not cosmetic: the variables that must be reported, the procedures for selecting participating farms and the data collection methodology are all updated to align European agricultural data with the objectives of the European Green Deal and to improve its quality and comparability at community level.

What does this regulation establish?

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2241 introduces technical modifications on three main axes within the REDSA framework:

The legal basis for this entire regulatory architecture remains the Council Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009, which establishes the EU agricultural data network. What changes are the implementing provisions: how data is collected, which farms participate and what variables must be reported.

Economic and operational impact

The regulation does not establish direct economic sanctions or specific amounts. However, the operational impact is real and must be managed:

• Adaptation of data collection systems: National statistical organizations will need to update their platforms, forms and internal procedures to comply with the new methodological requirements. This involves costs for technological adaptation and staff training.
• New forms for participating farms: Agricultural farms included in the network will have to report additional or modified variables, especially those related to sustainability. This may require additional administrative management time.
• Improvement of data quality: In the medium term, the update aims to make European agricultural data more comparable and useful for decision-making in common agricultural policy, which could translate into better diagnoses and, eventually, more precise allocation of agricultural aid and subsidies.
• Repeal of the previous framework: The elimination of Regulation 2015/220 means that any procedure or form based on that regulation becomes invalid. Organizations that still operate with references to the FADN framework must update their internal documents.

Who does it affect?

• Agricultural farms participating in REDSA: Those already part of the network or selected under the new criteria will need to adapt their reports to the new variables, including sustainability indicators.
• National statistical organizations: The competent authorities of each Member State (in Spain, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the corresponding regional organizations) must update their data collection systems.
• Agricultural advisors and managers: Those who assist farms in meeting their reporting obligations must be familiar with the new forms and variables required.
• Entities using REDSA/FADN data: Consulting firms, agricultural research centers and sectoral organizations that base analyses on network data must take into account the methodological change when interpreting historical series.

Practical example

A 200-hectare cereal farm in Castilla y León that currently participates in the agricultural data network (formerly FADN, now REDSA) receives a form each season from its regional statistical organization to report accounting data: income, costs, yields per crop.

With the entry into force of the new framework, that same form will incorporate sustainability variables aligned with the European Green Deal: for example, fertilizer use, water consumption, soil management practices or estimated carbon footprint. The farm manager or their advisor will need to collect and report these new data according to the updated methodology.

The regional statistical organization, for its part, will have previously updated its data collection platform to accept these new variables and ensure that the data are comparable with those from the rest of the EU Member States.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your farm participates in REDSA: Contact the statistical organization of your autonomous community or the Ministry of Agriculture to confirm whether you are included in the network and under what updated selection criteria.
2. Review current reporting forms: Check whether the forms you currently use are still valid or have been replaced by new models adapted to Regulation 2026/2241.
3. Identify new sustainability variables: Request from the competent organization the updated list of variables to be reported, especially the new ones related to sustainability and the European Green Deal.
4. Update internal record systems: If you manage farm data with agricultural management software, verify that it allows you to record the new required variables.
5. For national statistical organizations: Immediately begin the process of technological adaptation and training of field personnel responsible for data collection, given that Regulation 2015/220 is repealed.
6. Update internal regulatory references: Any procedure, manual or internal document that cites Regulation 2015/220 or refers to "FADN" must be updated to reflect the new REDSA framework and the amended Regulation 2024/2746.

Official source

Consult full regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202602241