Nursery crops and perennials now officially classified as break crops

NEWS

POLICY & LEGAL

Manon Botterblom, Tuesday 29 September 2026

63 sec

Recognition prevents growers from having to terminate perennial crops prematurely

Nursery crops and perennials planted no later than 2025 have officially been designated as break crops. This was announced by LTO Trees, Perennials and Summer Flowers in a press release. The amendment to the Environment Regulation came into effect on 18 September 2026.

The recognition is important because of the mandatory crop rotation with break crops under the Seventh Nitrates Action Programme. On sandy and loess soils, a break crop must be grown once every four years. Without this recognition, nursery growers could face difficulties with perennial crops.

Research proved decisive

The amendment follows additional research by the Scientific Committee on the Manure Act. This showed that nursery crops and perennials do meet the criteria for break crops in the first year of cultivation. A parliamentary motion submitted by SGP MP Flach and adopted in March subsequently called for the regulation to be amended.
The recognition applies to the Seventh Action Programme. LTO Trees, Perennials and Summer Flowers wants it to remain in place under the Eighth Action Programme, so that crops planted in 2026 will also be covered.

Overview of break crops

� Forest and hedging plants (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Buxus (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Ericaceae (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Avenue and park trees, rootstocks (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Rose bushes, including seedlings and rootstocks (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Ornamental conifers (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Ornamental shrubs and climbing plants (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Cut foliage (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Shrubs for forcing and berry bushes (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Perennials (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Fruit trees, mother trees (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Fruit trees, rootstocks (first year of perennial cultivation)
� Fruit trees, other (first year of perennial cultivation)

This article was previously published on 29 September 2026 on the website of Boom In Business.

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