January 29, 2026
MPS-ABC has announced a new reassessment of active substances used in crop protection products within its environmental indicator system, MPS-MIND. The updated classifications will come into effect from 13 July 2026, marking the start of period 8 of 2026.
The reassessment reflects MPS-ABC’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that environmental impact assessments are based on the most recent and relevant data available.
Reassessment of 20 Active Substances
In the most recent review, 20 coded active substances were reassessed. The evaluation considered two key factors:
- the age of each active substance, and
- the total quantities used by all MPS-ABC participants over the past year.
As new scientific and usage data have become available, the environmental classification of several substances has changed. Growers using any of the reassessed substances should be aware that these changes may directly affect their MPS points score, depending on the new colour coding.
New Colour Coding Effective from 13 July
From the start of period 8, the updated colour codes will be applied within the MPS-MIND system. These colours indicate the environmental impact level of each active substance and are linked to the environmental zone (EZ) in which the product is used.
Growers will be able to view the new classifications by logging into the record-keeping environment from 13 July 2026 onwards.
Role of Environmental Zones
Environmental zones play a crucial role in how active substances are assessed. Each business location is assigned to an environmental zone for each period, reflecting local factors that influence environmental risk when crop protection products are applied.
Because these location-specific factors can vary, the same active substance may receive a different colour classification depending on the environmental zone in which it is used.
Where to Find Your Environmental Zone
Growers can find their assigned environmental zone in their qualification overviews, which are available for download via the Customer Portal. These overviews provide clarity on how individual locations are classified during each assessment period.
For a detailed explanation of environmental zones and their impact on substance classification, MPS-ABC recommends consulting the MPS-MIND Information Document.
What Growers Should Do
With the new classifications approaching, MPS-ABC advises growers to review their current crop protection strategies and check whether any reassessed active substances are in use. Understanding how the updated colour coding affects point calculations can help growers make informed decisions ahead of period 8.
For more details see: MPS-ABC