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Section C: The Agricultural Census
Introduction
The Agricultural Census
Each summer the agricultural census is conducted by the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate. For census purposes farms are classified into two categories. Main farms are those above a certain physical or economic size - broadly, those of more than one hectare, or where the net value of the crops and livestock is more than about one and two-thirds European Size Units. Minor farms are those which were below this threshold at the time of the last classification. The survey of minor farms is conducted over a 3 year cycle, about one-third being surveyed each year. In 2007, 26,100 main farms and 6,800 of the 25,300 minor farms on the department's register were surveyed. Both the main and minor censuses collect information on crops, livestock and labour as at the beginning of June, although the minor survey is less detailed than the main survey. In addition, a sample survey (of about 50 per cent) of main farms is carried out in December in order to provide estimates of winter crops and livestock maintained for the next breeding season. The information is collected under the Agriculture Act 1947, and the surveys are conducted by postal questionnaire.
Shortly before the June 2000 agricultural census was carried out, a major reclassification of all main and minor farms in Scotland was undertaken. The net result was that 1,700 farms moved from main to minor. Since 2000 all June census figures have been published on a main and minor farm basis, though the statistics shown for the December survey still relate to main holdings only.
The surveys are conducted for a wide range of purposes. The statistics help the department to form, monitor and evaluate policy, and to assess the economic well-being of the different agricultural sectors. Most of the data collected are required also by the Statistical Office of the European Communities. Equally important is the regular contact with farmers, which enables the department's register to be kept up to date. This means, for example, that information on new animal health requirements, or new subsidy schemes can be quickly directed to relevant farmers.
Some of the tables shown in this section provide information for each of our 14 standard regions; these are groupings of local authority areas (see Map 1: Main Agricultural Areas). Data is also available in this format for the December census, from the 2001 results onwards.
Land Sales Data Discontinued
Agricultural land sales data have appeared regularly in Tables C12 and C13 of this report in past years, but have been discontinued. It was considered likely that the coverage of land sales had become incomplete, and it was the case that the number of sales reported was too few to allow any meaningful analysis. The raw data collection was continued up to 2003/04, and land sales data remain available on request (for contacts see under Scottish Executive Statistical Services at the front of this publication) although latter years data should be treated with caution. However, the data are not of publishable quality. A review is being conducted to try to locate a suitable replacement source which is both complete and can identify 'agricultural' land, and with sufficient accuracy and detail to provide the type of analysis the now discontinued series used to provide.
Change to Farm Classification
From 2004, the farm classification groupings, which had existed since 1985, were slightly amended. The main change concerned the 'Pigs and Poultry' farm type which was split into 'Specialist Pigs' and 'Specialist Poultry' farm types. There were also some minor changes to the 'Mixed' farm type. Most farms (holdings), however, have retained the same farm type under the new classification.
In line with other United Kingdom agricultural departments, the underlying economic measure (standard gross margin) which provides the basic data for the farm classification has been updated from a 1988 basis to a 2000 basis. The 2000 basis is a centred standard gross margin, averaged over 5 years. Table C38 provides 1997, 2002 and 2007 census data using the new 2000 centred Standard Gross Margin.
Census year 2004 also marked the introduction of a new farm classification system - Standard Labour Requirements ( SLRs). Standard Labour Requirements assign farm types to agricultural businesses according to how much labour they use. Standards or norms have been calculated for all major enterprises. The total SLR for each farm is calculated by multiplying its crop areas and livestock numbers by the appropriate SLR coefficients and then summing the results for all enterprises on the farm. Table C39 details main and minor holdings by Standard Labour Requirements and farm type. Further details regarding Standard Labour Requirements and farm classification are outlined in the commentary to section B of this publication.
Commentary Crops
The total area of combine harvested crops on main and minor farms increased by 1.6 per cent in 2007. The area of wheat rose by 3 per cent to 102,700 hectares and the area of barley increased by 1.5 per cent to 278,600 hectares. The area of oilseed rape rose by 7.7 per cent to 36,300 hectares and the area put into obligatory set aside increased slightly to 67,900 hectares.
The area of potatoes on main and minor farms rose by 4 per cent to 29,300 hectares. Crops grown for stock feeding fell by 5.4 per cent to 24,700 hectares.
The area of grass and rough grazing on main and minor farms were little changed in 2007. The total agricultural area was 6,191,800 hectares in 2007 of which about 65 per cent was accounted for by rough and common grazing. Farm woodland increased in 2007 to a total (main and minor farms) of about 280,000 hectares.
Livestock
The total number of cattle on main and minor farms decreased by nearly 2 per cent in 2007 to 1.9 million. The dairy herd fell slightly to 198,000 while the number of dairy heifers in calf for the first time rose by nearly 1 per cent to 44,700. The beef herd decreased by 3 per cent in 2007 to 472,200. The number of beef heifers fell slightly in 2007 to 46,100. 'Cattle under 1 year' decreased by nearly 3 per cent to 550,350.
The number of sheep on main and minor farms fell by 130,000 in 2007 to just under 7.5 million. The number of ewes for breeding decreased by 3.6 per cent to 2.9 million while the number of lambs fell slightly to 3.68 million.
The pig breeding herd decreased by nearly 4 per cent in 2007, falling to 40,200. The total pig herd fell by 7,100 to 456,700.
The poultry flock increased by almost 4 per cent to 14.1 million in 2007, due chiefly to a rise in the number of laying and breeding fowls.
Labour
The regular agricultural labour force fell marginally to 20,330. Full-time staff decreased by nearly 2 per cent while part-time staff increased by 2.5 per cent. Casual and seasonal staff rose by nearly 24 per cent to 5,600.
The number of occupiers working on main and minor farms decreased by over 2 per cent to 27,180. The number of spouses working on the farm also fell, by less than 2 per cent to 14,040.
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