Decree 66/2026: 500,000 euros for Asaja and UPA for agricultural dialogue

Decree 66/2026, of November 3, regulates a direct grant of 500,000 euros destined for Asaja CLM and UPA CLM for their activity of representation, dialogue, and institutional collaboration in agricultural policies during 2025. The regulation, signed by President Emiliano García-Page Sánchez and Councilor Julián Martínez Lizán, is published in the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (Diario Oficial de Castilla-La Mancha) No. 215, of November 10, 2026 (reference 2026/7979), within section I of general provisions. The distribution is equal: 250,000 euros for each organization.

The decree is based on Law 3/2025, of June 6, on the determination of the representativeness of professional agricultural organizations in Castilla-La Mancha, whose Article 9 provides that budget laws shall allocate the necessary credits to address the functions attributed to the most representative organizations. This status was declared for the Confederation of Agricultural Associations of Young Farmers of Castilla-La Mancha (Asaja CLM, CIF G45226164) and the Union of Small Farmers and Livestock Breeders of Castilla-La Mancha (UPA CLM, CIF G45447893) through separate resolutions dated December 4, 2025, from the General Secretariat of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, and Rural Development, published in the DOCM No. 240, of December 12, 2025.

The department argues that the recognition of representativeness was resolved after the 2026 regional budgets were prepared and approved, which prevented the processing of a call for applications adapted to the new legal framework and left the transitional period without funding. Hence the direct grant, supported by Article 22.2.c) of Law 38/2003, of November 17, General Law on Subsidies, and Article 75.2.c) of the Recast Text of the Treasury Law of Castilla-La Mancha, as reasons of public and social interest concur. The grants do not constitute State aid and are integrated into the Strategic Grant Plan 2024-2026.

Two payments of 250,000 euros charged to 2026

Article 7 sets the total amount at 500,000 euros—250,000 to Asaja CLM and 250,000 to UPA CLM—covering up to 100% of the effectively justified eligible expenditure. The funding is charged to budget application 21020000.711A.48000 of the Junta’s budgets for 2026, and payment will be made through a single disbursement once the granting resolution has been issued.

Eligible expenses, always linked to functions of representation and institutional collaboration, are:

• Personnel costs: gross salary payments and employer contributions for staff assigned to the activities, with proportional allocation when dedication is not exclusive.
• Indirect operating costs: electricity, water, heating, telecommunications, internet, mail, cleaning, and ordinary maintenance of premises.
• Other direct costs: reports, studies and external technical or legal documentation, institutional meetings, travel, editing of materials, and temporary rental of spaces or equipment.

Excluded are agricultural advisory or training courses and workshops, activities with specific funding from the department, and VAT, unless it is not recoverable or compensable for the entity.

2025 Activities and justification within ten business days

The eligible activities must have been executed between January 1 and December 31, 2025, and the justification shall be submitted within ten business days from the notification of the award resolution. A justificatory report of activities and an economic report with a classified list of expenses, invoices, bank vouchers, and, where applicable, three supplier quotes are required. For personnel costs, the payment of the November payroll is permitted until January 15, and social security payments and PIT (IRPF) withholdings until January 31, 2026.

The maximum period for resolution is fifteen days from the publication of the decree, and all procedures are carried out electronically. The aid is compatible with other subsidies provided that the sum does not exceed the total cost of the activity; total failure to achieve the purpose or a justification equal to or less than 50% of the budget entails full reimbursement. Beneficiaries must maintain their regional presence and a minimum participation of 40% of women in their management bodies.

Repeal of Order 68/2021

The sole repealing provision entirely suppresses Order 68/2021, of May 21, which established the regulatory bases for subsidies to professional agricultural organizations and associative entities of agri-food cooperatives, the system by which these activities were financed through annual competitive calls. The decree enters into force the day following its publication, November 11, 2026.

The regulation closes the transition toward a model in which funding is linked to the status of the most representative organization and not to an open call. For the sector, this ensures the continuity of the entities that negotiate with the regional Administration on behalf of farmers and ranchers; for public accounts, it consolidates an annual expenditure of 500,000 euros outside the competitive call regime.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha, no. 215, November 10, 2026, section I (General Provisions), pp. 39415-39421 (official reference: 2026/7979).