Agricultural Census, June 2008

The final results of the June 2008 agricultural census were released today by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

The statistics provide estimates of crop areas, numbers of livestock and of farmers and workers on active farm businesses on the census date of 1 June 2008.

The main changes between June 2007 and June 2008 are:

Cereals: There was a 19% increase in the total area of cereals compared with 2007. The total area of winter crops planted in autumn 2007 for harvest in 2008 was 18,200 ha, while the total of spring cereal crops was 21,900 ha. The areas of winter wheat and winter barley increased by 32%and 30% respectively. The area of spring barley rose by 8%.

Other crops: The area of potatoes was 7% higher than in 2007 at 5,100 ha; while that of forage maize was 10% higher at 3,500 ha.

Cattle: Total cattle numbers were 1 per cent lower than in 2007. The number of dairy cows rose by 1% to 289,200; while the number of beef cows fell by 3% to 265,700.

Sheep: The number of breeding ewes fell by 2% to 935,300.

Pigs: The number of breeding sows fell by 4% to 35,500.

Poultry: There was little change in the numbers of laying hens while the number of broiler hens on farms at 1 June was 4% lower than at the same date in 2007.

Farmers and workers: There was a 1% fall in the number of farmers in 2008, and the total number of persons working on farms also fell by 1%. On a headcount basis the total farm labour force stood at 48,500 in June 2008.

More details of the June Agricultural Census results are available on the DARD Website

Notes to Editors:

1. The survey results were prepared by Farm Surveys Branch of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB.

2. In an effort to reduce the compliance burden on farmers, the survey form sent to farmers omitted most of the cattle and all of the poultry questions. Survey information was then augmented with data from APHIS for missing cattle variables, and from the Northern Ireland Bird Register Update for poultry. The changes will improve the robustness of the statistics, but the new methodology means a break in the data series that started in 1996.

3. Full details of the coverage of the census and of terms used were given in the booklet “The Agricultural Census in Northern Ireland: Results for June 2007” (DARD, 2007) and will be repeated in the 2008 issue of this annual publication, available in January 2009. These booklets may be accessed on the Department’s internet site.

4. A spreadsheet with summary results of the census is available, in electronic format, for the period 1982 to 2007, from Policy and Economics Division, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB. This series is also available on the Department’s internet site. Special analyses can be undertaken on request but a charge will be made for this.

5. All media queries to DARD Press Office on 028 90524619. Out of office hours, contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440, and your call will be returned.

6. All recent DARD statistical press releases can be found on the DARD Website

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