The challenging climatic conditions of summer 2026, marked by intense drought, have significantly compromised the possibilities for establishing cover crops in the Gers department. Faced with particularly dry soils and unfavorable sowing conditions, regulatory flexibilities have been granted regarding soil cover.
Outside vulnerable zones, a national exemption from GAEC 6 has been granted for plots with long intercropping periods. The obligation to establish and maintain a cover for at least six weeks between September 1st and November 30th is lifted for the 2026 campaign. This exemption applies automatically, without any specific action required from farmers.
In areas vulnerable to the Nitrates directive, the prefect of Gers signed an order on September 28th, providing exemptions from soil cover obligations for the 2026-2027 campaign. Affected farmers must note this measure in their practice registration logbook.
These exemptions solely concern soil cover obligations under GAEC 6 and Nitrates regulations. They do not affect the rules applicable to secondary crops declared in TéléPAC as part of GAEC 7 - Crop Rotation, which must always be established and maintained according to regulations, i.e., present between November 15th and February 15th.
These decisions offer welcome flexibility to Gers farms facing another year of particularly challenging climatic conditions, allowing them to avoid establishing cover crops in situations where their emergence and development would have been severely compromised or impossible.
