This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Provisional results from agriculture census
21/09/2005
Provisional estimates from the June 2005 Agriculture Census were issued today.
When compared with June 2004, they indicate that:
- There has been little overall change in the number of cattle, while the number of sheep fell slightly (down by two per cent)
- The total number of pigs rose by three per cent
- The total size of the poultry flock fell by seventeen per cent to just over thirteen million
- The area of wheat fell by six per cent and the area of oilseed rape fell by eight per cent. There were also decreases in the areas of barley and oats (down by six and eight per cent respectively)
- The total number of staff employed was little changed. There was a fall in the number of regular staff (down two per cent), but a rise in the number of casual or seasonal staff (up by 12 per cent)
The results relate to the annual June Census of agricultural holdings. Census returns are completed by farmers; these results are provisional for a number of reasons which include late returns and outstanding queries not yet resolved.
Further, there have very been significant changes for some holdings, such as in the poultry sector, and estimates must be treated with caution. The returns provide information on the crops and livestock on the land which is owned or rented on a permanent basis by farmers, and the labour employed.
These results cover June 2005 returns for main holdings (holdings above a certain economic or physical threshold). For the remaining holdings (minor holdings) an estimate is included based on the June 2004 Census and previous censuses. A complete analysis of returns for minor holdings is conducted after the final analysis of the returns from the main holdings in October. Final results of the June 2005 Census are due to be published on October 26, 2005.