Farm Diversification In England 2009/10

A release from Defra giving estimates from the Farm Business Survey 2009/10 shows that about half of ther total number of farms accounted for 91% of farmed land and 96% of agricultural production. The main results from the survey are that 50% of farms diversified in 2009/10 and 27% diversified in other than letting out buildings.

The overall percentage of farms with any diversified activities has remained stable since 2006/7. The total income from diversification was £360m in 2009/10 which accounted for 15% of total farm income in 2009/10. On 23% of farms diversification provided more income than the rest of the farm. The most common type of diversification is letting out buildings for non-farming use at 36% and on the farms it generates 73% of total diversified income and over half diversified output. More farms ceased to diversify in 2008/9 than started with 3,100 discontinuing and 2,500 starting for the first time.

Regional variations exist and 73% of farms in the South East have diversified enterprises whereas only 41% of farms in the North West diversified. In most regions total income from diversification was 15% but in the South East it was 36%. The are with the lowest % of farm income from diversification was the East Midlands with 8%. In the North East and Yorkshire/Humberside it was 15% (second after the South East). After the letting of buildings for non-farm use, sport and recreation was a popular form of diversified activity with an incidience rate of 19% in the South East and 11% nationally and 14% of farms in the South East also had enterprises involving the processing and retailing of farm produce. Other popular activities included tourist accomodation and catering at 5%.

Average income from off-farm employment and self-employment was highest on very large farms at £21,400 per farm. The biggest age groups with diversified activities were the 55-64 and 65 and over age groups and the 55-64 age group has the largest share of output from diversified enterprises at £270m.

The average diversified output was £25,800 but 53% of diversified enterprises had an output value of less than £10,000 and 10% less than £1,000 and 12% have an annual output of £50,000 or more. Total farm income fell in 2009/10 after increasing for the previous four years.

Agricultural Labour 2010

There were 293,000 people working on commercial agricultural holdings in 2010 unchanged from 2009 compared with the 312,000 in 2008. There was a total of 170,000 farmers, partners directors and spouses, up 3% on 2009. There were 11,000 salaried managers, an increase of 1% on 2009. The other 112,000 workers (-4%) included 47,000 full-time workers (+3%), 28,000 part-time workers (-4%) and 37,000 casual workers (-12%).

A comparison can also be made between those working on "commercial" holdings and the total for "all" holdings in 2009. The total number of people working on "all" holdings in 2009 was 363,000. Farmers, partners, directors and spouses totalled 223,000 compared with 165,000, salaried managers totalled 12,000 on "all" holdings compared with 10,000 working on "commercial" holdings. Other workers totalled 128,00 on "all" holdings and 117,000 on "commercial" holdings.

Milk Prices And Composition

Farm gate milk prices in October were 1.18p/litre higher than in October 2009 at 25.62p/litre. The average butterfat content was 4.02% compared wth 4.04% last year. Protein was 3.36% the same as last year.

Farm Land Birds In England

Farmland bird populations declined between 2008 and 2009. The unsmoothed index showed a decline of 5% for England and the smoothed index showed a decline of 3%. Both indices are lower than their lowest recorded value since the 1966 starting value by 53%.

Bird indicators are regarded as being a good indicator of general stat of wildlife because they occupy a wide range of habitats. Twelve of the species included in the index declined between 2008 and 2009 and seven species increased. Many of the species showing a downward trend have been in decline for four or five years. Goldfinch and Jackdaw have shown long-term upward trends.

The indicators of wild bird populations are published by Defra along with the RSPB and the BTO. They show changes in the breeding and wintering populations of common bird species.