Hectares of all arable land either included in the crop rotation system or maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC), whether worked or not, but which will not be harvested for the duration of a crop year. The essential characteristic of fallow land is that it is left to recover, normally for the whole of a crop year. Fallow land may be:

(i) bare land bearing no crops at all; or

(ii) land with spontaneous natural growth, which may be used as feed or ploughed in; or

(iii) land sown exclusively to produce green manure (green fallow).

Commission implementing regulation (EU) 2021/2286 of 16 December 2021 on the data to be provided for the reference year 2023 pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 of the European Parliament and of the Council on integrated farm statistics as regards the list of variables and their description and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 1200/2009

Source category: EU Legislation

The cultivated land that is not seeded for one or more growing seasons. The maximum idle period is usually less than five years.

FAOc, FAO Term, accessed 11 December 2023

Source category: International Organisations

Arable land not under rotation that is set at rest for a period of time ranging from one to five years before it is cultivated again, or land usually under permanent crops, meadows or pastures, which is not being used for that purpose for a period of at least one year. Arable land which is normally used for the cultivation of temporary crops but which is temporarily used for grazing is included.

EEA, European Environment Agency, Glossary, accessed 11 December 2023.

Source category: Agency Documents