Grace Period for Transition to Mandatory Digital Record-Keeping for Plant Protection Products
Date published:
DAERA advises that new mandatory record-keeping requirements for plant protection products (PPPs) will take effect on 1 January 2026.
However, to make the transition easier for everyone, DAERA has triggered an option which allows the mandatory electronic transfer of PPP records to be postponed for one year until 1 January 2027.
This gives professional users more time to prepare and adapt.
From 1st January 2026 all Professional users should start introducing the following additional content requirements into their PPP records:
- Product authorisation number (MAPP)
- EPPO codes for crops/land uses
- BBCH codes for crop growth stages
Paper records will remain acceptable until 31 December 2026.
Looking ahead - from 1 January 2027, all records of PPP use must be in an electronic, machine-readable format. Where records are initially created in paper form, they must be converted within the required timeframe.
For further information and resources, visit DAERA's official guidance page or contact the Department directly on [email protected]
