Agriculture; crops, livestock and land use by general farm type, region

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Periods Regions Land use Area Land use, total (are) Land use Area Utilised agricultural area (UAA) (are) Land use Area Other land (are) Land use Number of farms Land use, total (number) Land use Number of farms Utilised agricultural area (UAA) (number) Arable land Area Other arable crops (are) Arable land Number of farms Industrial crops (number) Horticulture, in the open Area Horticulture in the open, total (are) Horticulture, under glass Area Horticulture under glass, total (m2) Grassland and forage plants Number of farms Grassland Temporary grass (number) Grazing livestock Number of farms Equidae Horses (number)
2000 Nederland 212,737,529 197,550,427 15,187,102 97,389 95,944 1,070,187 1,830 8,106,079 105,208,811 11,041 14,146
2005 207,233,824 193,769,503 13,464,321 81,750 80,231 818,942 1,802 8,139,184 105,396,583 16,279 12,209
2010 201,859,594 187,231,940 14,627,654 72,324 70,627 743,895 1,648 8,707,297 103,074,941 14,713 10,711
2015 201,589,516 184,574,562 17,014,954 63,913 62,256 400,191 1,688 9,046,390 92,078,263 22,908 8,481
2020 196,732,506 181,445,084 15,287,422 52,315 51,282 661,411 1,641 9,312,775 100,778,913 21,622 6,159
2022 . 180,436,921 . . 49,679 746,462 1,542 9,540,604 106,368,923 21,086 .
2023 201,221,148 180,300,396 20,920,753 50,361 49,249 1,576,095 1,671 9,240,865 101,517,875 22,230 6,038
2024* . 181,058,507 . . 48,733 402,392 1,834 9,209,785 102,516,063 22,656 6,210
2000 Zuid-Holland (PV) 15,604,515 14,549,675 1,054,840 11,239 11,192 65,837 118 1,088,549 59,004,002 525 749
2005 15,143,085 14,222,945 920,140 8,822 8,774 43,994 115 927,100 56,145,083 522 625
2010 14,437,400 13,415,957 1,021,443 7,246 7,140 25,023 106 833,219 52,967,719 583 729
2015 13,883,991 12,739,302 1,144,689 5,845 5,752 10,965 71 728,802 47,892,156 849 599
2020 12,806,497 11,694,604 1,111,893 4,431 4,406 8,477 77 749,291 48,612,735 817 345
2022 . 11,713,551 . . 4,321 5,271 60 757,906 48,978,581 794 .
2023 13,230,249 11,642,444 1,587,805 4,239 4,220 92,197 48 760,611 46,888,036 841 364
2024* . 11,690,648 . . 4,190 5,477 47 743,687 48,979,518 829 374
2000 Haarlemmermeer (LB) 1,043,114 983,086 60,028 502 500 17,948 22 51,141 1,406,344 23 25
2005 892,780 846,327 46,453 384 382 4,533 8 41,628 1,242,335 22 22
2010 796,927 764,981 31,946 311 309 7,310 13 45,011 990,184 32 23
2015 822,098 792,257 29,841 256 253 6,989 21 48,452 757,664 49 20
2020 886,596 842,214 44,382 228 226 10,542 19 45,665 621,896 63 21
2022 . 820,239 . . 216 13,024 15 47,020 949,667 57 .
2023 892,636 831,706 60,930 210 207 35,041 16 42,460 1,006,263 61 20
2024* . 826,410 . . 207 15,567 16 39,676 983,648 62 19
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains data on land use, arable farming, horticulture, grassland, grazing livestock and housed animals, at regional level, by general farm type.

The figures in this table are derived from the agricultural census. Data collection for the agricultural census is part of a combined data collection for a.o. agricultural policy use and enforcement of the manure law.

Regional breakdown is based on the main location of the holding. Due to this the region where activities (crops, animals) are allocated may differ from the location where these activities actually occur.

The agricultural census is also used as the basis for the European Farm Structure Survey (FSS). Data from the agricultural census do not fully coincide with the FSS. In the FSS years (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2010) additional information was collected to meet the requirements of the FSS.

Reference date for livestock is 1 April and for crops 15 May.

In 2022, equidae are not part of the Agricultural Census. This affects the farm type and the total number of farms in the Agricultural Census. Farms with horses, ponies and donkeys that were previously classified as ‘specialist grazing livestock' could be classified, according to their dominant activity, as another farm type in 2022.

From 2020 onwards, the SO2017, based on the years 2015 to 2019, will apply (see also the explanation for SO: Standard Output).

From 2018 onwards the number of calves for fattening, pigs for fattening, chicken and turkey are adjusted in the case of temporary breaks in the production cycle (e.g. sanitary cleaning).
The agricultural census is a structural survey, in which adjustment for temporary breaks in the production cycle is a.o. relevant for the calculation of the economic size of the holding, and its farm type.
In the livestock surveys the number of animals on the reference day is relevant, therefore no adjustment for temporary breaks in the production cycle are made.
This means that the number of animals in the tables of the agricultural census may differ from those in the livestock tables (see ‘links to relevant tables and relevant articles).

From 2017 onwards, animal numbers are increasingly derived from I&R registers (Identification and Registration of animals), instead of by means of the combined data collection. The I&R registers are the responsibility of RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency). Since 2017, cattle numbers are derived from I&R cattle, and from 2018 sheep, goats and poultry are also derived from the relevant I&R registers. The registration of cattle, sheep and goats takes place directly at RVO. Poultry data is collected via the designated database Poultry Information System Poultry (KIP) from Avined. Avined is a branch organization for the egg and poultry meat sectors. Avined passes the data on to the central database of RVO. Due to the transition to the use of I&R registers, a change in classification will occur for sheep and goats from 2018 onwards.

Since 2016, information of the Dutch Business Register is used to define the agricultural census. Registration in the Business Register with an agricultural standard industrial classification code (SIC), related to NACE/ISIC, (in Dutch SBI: ‘Standaard BedrijfsIndeling’) is leading to determine whether there is an agricultural holding. This aligns the agricultural census as closely as possible to the statistical regulations of Eurostat and the (Dutch) implementation of the definition of 'active farmer' as described in the common agricultural policy.

The definition of the agricultural census based on information from the Dutch Business Register mainly affects the number of holdings, a clear deviation of the trend occurs. The impact on areas (except for other land and rough grazing) and the number of animals (except for sheep, horses and ponies) is limited. This is mainly due to the holdings that are excluded as a result of the new delimitation of agricultural holdings (such as equestrian centres, city farms and organisations in nature management).

In 2011 there were changes in geographic assignment of holdings with a foreign main seat. This may influence regional figures, mainly in border regions.

Until 2010 the economic size of agricultural holdings was expressed in Dutch size units (in Dutch NGE: 'Nederlandse Grootte Eenheid'). From 2010 onwards this has become Standard Output (SO). This means that the threshold for holdings in the agricultural census has changed from 3 NGE to 3000 euro SO. For comparable time series the figures for 2000 up to and including 2009 have been recalculated, based on SO coefficients and SO typology. The latest update took place in 2016.

Data available from: 2000

Status of the figures: The figures for 2024 are provisional, all other figures are final.

Changes as of November 28, 2024: the provisional figures for 2024 have been added.

When will new figures be published?
According to regular planning provisional figures are published in November and the definite figures will follow in March of the following year.

Description topics

Land use
Area
Land use, total
Utilised agricultural area (UAA)
Utilised agricultural area (UAA) is land that is permanently or
temporarily part of the holding, and is mainly used for the production of agricultural goods (crops, livestock), including fallow land and (temporary) grassland.
_
Includes arable land, horticulture in the open, horticulture under glass, grassland and green fodder crops.
Other land
Includes unutilised agricultural land, wooded area, and other land (e.g. buildings, farmyard, ponds, nature reserves).
Number of farms
Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).
Land use, total
Utilised agricultural area (UAA)
Utilised agricultural area (UAA) is land that is permanently or
temporarily part of the holding, and is mainly used for the production of agricultural goods (crops, livestock), including fallow land and (temporary) grassland.
_
Includes arable land, horticulture in the open, horticulture under glass, grassland and green fodder crops.
Arable land
Refers to the growing of crops in the open, usually for industrial processing.
Area
Other arable crops
Includes miscanthus and sod.
Number of farms
Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).
Industrial crops
Crops that are normally not sold directly for consumption because they need to be industrially processed prior to final use.
_
Includes black poppy, industrial chicory, hemp, caraway seed, colza seed, rape seed, linseed, soy beans, flax and sunflowers.
Horticulture, in the open
Refers to the growing of crops in the open, usually directly for
the market.
Area
Horticulture in the open, total
Horticulture, under glass
Refers to the growing of crops under glass or other (accessible) protective cover.
Area
Horticulture under glass, total
Grassland and forage plants
Grassland and green fodder usually serves as fresh forage.
Number of farms
Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).
Grassland
Temporary grass
Land with herbaceous forage crops, through cultivation (sown) or naturally (self-seeded), that has not been included in the crop rotation on the holding for a maximum of five years.
_
Crop rotation is the practice of growing different crops in the same area to avoid build-up of pathogens and depletion of soil nutrients.
Grazing livestock
Includes cattle, sheep, goats and equidae.
Number of farms
Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).
Equidae
Only horses and ponies that are kept on agricultural holdings.
_
From 2010 including donkeys of 6 months and older.
_
In 2022, horses, ponies and donkeys will not be part of the Agricultural Census.
Horses