The December Survey of Agriculture in England 2009 gives data showing the winter crops areas and livestock numbers of agricultural holdings in England as of 1 December 2009.
The area of wheat sown by 1 December 2009 increased by 10.9% on 2008 to 1.8m hectares. The winter OSR area increased by 9% to 589 thousand hectares from 541 thousand hectares and winter barley decreased 4.8% to 342 thousand hectares. Oats and field beans increased to 83 and 88 thousand hectares respectively. The area of arable land intended to be left out of production in 2009/10 is 226 thousand hectares more or less unchanged from 2009.
Hay production increased in 2009 by 6.3% to 2.2m tonnes. Silage production from grass decreased by 2.4% to18.4m tonnes. Silage produced from other crops increased by 4.2% to 4.6m tonnes.
There were a total of 5.5m cattle and calves in England in December 2009. An increase of 1% from 5.4m in 2008. The dairy herd decreased by 1.4% to 1.2m which offset an increase in the beef herd of 1.1% to 731,000. The total breeding herd remained more or less unchanged at 1.9m.
The total number of pigs in England in 2009 increased by 1.3% from 3.7m in 2008 to 3.8m in 2009. The number of breeding pigs increased by 4% to 438,000 in December 2009 from 354,000 in 2008. Fattening pigs increased to 3.3m. The increased numbers may be due partly to lower costs and steady prices which has resulted in amny producers seeing profits.
Sheep and lambs in England decreased by 3.8% to 9.9m in 2009. The female breeding flock decreased by 2.2% to 6.2m continuing a downward trend beginning in 2004. Sheep prices have remained good but supply has been reduced due to the reduction in the size of the breeding flock.
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