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

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Agriculture; crops, livestock and land use by general farm type, region
Farm types Periods Regions Grazing livestock Number of animals Cattle Dairy cows (>= 2 years) (number) Grazing livestock Number of animals Goats Goats, total (number) Grazing livestock Number of animals Goats Goats for milking (number) Grazing livestock Number of animals Goats Other goats (number) Grazing livestock Number of farms Cattle Dairy cows (>= 2 years) (number) Grazing livestock Number of farms Goats Goats, total (number) Grazing livestock Number of farms Goats Goats for milking (number) Grazing livestock Number of farms Goats Other goats (number)
All farm types 2000 Nederland 1,504,076 178,571 98,077 80,494 29,466 3,795 838 3,423
All farm types 2005 Nederland 1,433,202 291,891 172,159 119,732 23,527 4,552 733 4,318
All farm types 2010 Nederland 1,478,635 352,828 247,983 104,845 19,805 3,719 580 3,568
All farm types 2015 Nederland 1,621,767 469,749 327,652 142,097 18,265 3,185 545 3,025
All farm types 2018 Nederland 1,621,914 587,856 431,228 156,628 16,963 2,973 595 2,835
All farm types 2019 Nederland 1,577,964 614,645 456,561 158,084 16,260 3,043 584 2,913
All farm types 2020 Nederland 1,593,071 632,616 476,211 156,405 15,731 3,052 569 2,944
All farm types 2000 Zuid-Holland (PV) 103,345 5,907 2,924 2,983 2,182 390 67 353
All farm types 2005 Zuid-Holland (PV) 96,622 10,542 6,245 4,297 1,743 441 57 420
All farm types 2010 Zuid-Holland (PV) 95,675 13,973 9,693 4,280 1,472 398 52 379
All farm types 2015 Zuid-Holland (PV) 100,643 14,978 10,340 4,638 1,320 302 43 287
All farm types 2018 Zuid-Holland (PV) 101,865 21,761 14,773 6,988 1,229 296 40 287
All farm types 2019 Zuid-Holland (PV) 90,715 23,720 15,012 8,708 1,058 306 34 299
All farm types 2020 Zuid-Holland (PV) 91,806 25,276 16,901 8,375 1,032 314 33 308
All farm types 2000 Haarlemmermeer (LB) 965 24 2 22 19 12 1 11
All farm types 2005 Haarlemmermeer (LB) 639 17 3 14 12 8 1 7
All farm types 2010 Haarlemmermeer (LB) 628 23 0 23 9 7 0 7
All farm types 2015 Haarlemmermeer (LB) 731 24 7 17 9 4 1 4
All farm types 2018 Haarlemmermeer (LB) 598 10 0 10 6 5 0 5
All farm types 2019 Haarlemmermeer (LB) 1,129 45 12 33 14 8 1 7
All farm types 2020 Haarlemmermeer (LB) 1,154 73 22 51 13 9 1 8
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 are final.

Changes as of March 29, 2024: the final figures for 2023 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

Grazing livestock
Includes cattle, sheep, goats and equidae.
Number of animals
Cattle
From 2013 onward the categories ‘Cows for fattening (>= 2 years)’ and ‘Suckling cows (>= 2 years)’ are no longer available separately, but merged into the new category ‘Other cows’. Also from 2013 onwards the categories ‘Bulls for breeding (>= 2 years)’ and ‘Bulls for fattening (>= 2 years)’ are merged into the new category ‘Bulls (>= 2 years)’.
Because of this the totals for ‘Cattle for milk or breeding’ and for ‘Cattle for fattening or grazing’ are no longer available.
From 2017 onwards, the cattle data are derived from the I&R register (Identification and Registration) for cattle. This may, in comparison with the previous data collection method, affect the distribution between the different categories.
Dairy cows (>= 2 years)
Female bovine animals aged 2 years or older, that have calved at least once, and are kept for the production of milk or for breeding; includes dry cows (cows that temporarily do not produce milk because they are in calf).
Goats
From 2018 onwards the goats data are derived from the I&R register (Identification and Registration) for sheep. As a result, the classification has changed compared to previous years.
Goats, total
Goats for milking
Other goats
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).
Cattle
From 2013 onward the categories ‘Cows for fattening (>= 2 years)’ and ‘Suckling cows (>= 2 years)’ are no longer available separately, but merged into the new category ‘Other cows’. Also from 2013 onwards the categories ‘Bulls for breeding (>= 2 years)’ and ‘Bulls for fattening (>= 2 years)’ are merged into the new category ‘Bulls (>= 2 years)’.
Because of this the totals for ‘Cattle for milk or breeding’ and for ‘Cattle for fattening or grazing’ are no longer available.
From 2017 onwards, the cattle data are derived from the I&R register (Identification and Registration) for cattle. This may, in comparison with the previous data collection method, affect the distribution between the different categories.
Dairy cows (>= 2 years)
Female bovine animals aged 2 years or older, that have calved at least once, and are kept for the production of milk or for breeding; includes dry cows (cows that temporarily do not produce milk because they are in calf).
Goats
From 2018 onwards the goats data are derived from the I&R register (Identification and Registration) for sheep. As a result, the classification has changed compared to previous years.
Goats, total
Goats for milking
Other goats