Last update:

3rd July 2008

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State of the farmed environment

Agriculture in the South West

Agricultural holdings in the SW

Livestock farming in the SW

Organic farming in the SW

Agri-environment schemes in the SW

Soil

Soil condition in the SW

Agricultural employment in the SW

Agricultural income

Agricultural waste

Soil & erosion

Pollution

Birds

Landuse

Useful websites:

FarmWildlife - wildlife information for the farming community

Defra farming index

Defra agricultural statistics

Defra agricultural census data

FRCA

Office of National Statistics (ONS)

NFU

Agriculture

What's new on this page...

• Rural Development Programme for England - South West update newsletter July 2008
• South West agricultural statistics 2006
• Part of the solution: climate change, agriculture & land management report launched
• State of the farmed environment in England & Wales - Good farming, better environment report launched
• Organic farmed land in the South West 2006

All of the following information is taken from the Defra Agricultural June 2006 Census unless otherwise stated.

Agriculture in the South West

The South West is the largest, most rural and most agricultural region in England. In 2006, almost 1.88 million hectares (around 80%) of the South West's land was under agriculture according to Defra's Agricultural Census.

This 1.88 million hectares accounts for 20% of the 9.3 million hectares of farmed land in England.

Since 2000, the total farmed area in the region increased by almost 7% (from around 1.76 million hectares). In comparison to 2005, the total farmed area increased by nearly 2% (from 1.84 million hectares). This was similar to those changes observed at a national level.

Over 25% of all agricultural holdings on farmed land were in the South West in 2006, with 44,077 holdings compared to the English total of 175,531. The number of holdings has increased, by over 11% from 39,552 in 2000 to this 2006 toal. In comparison to 2005, the total number of holdings increased by 1% (from 43,530). This is similar to those changes observed at the national level.

Agricultural holdings and land area: June 1990 to June 2006

Source: Defra, Agricultural Census Data

These changes are likely to reflect a combination of factors; including the fragmentation or ‘lotting’ of holdings for sale (resulting in farm businesses increasingly comprising a portfolio of individual farm holdings) and an increase in 'retirement' and ‘life-style’ time farming where farm incomes are supplemented by investments or other alternative sources.

The nature of agricultural activity varies across the region. In part, this is due to variation in topography, soil quality and climate.

In 2006, less farmed land in the South West was under crops and bare fallow than the English average, with 26% compared to 41% respectively. Permanent grassland occupied 50% of farms in the region, compared to 36% in England as a whole. The South West also had a higher proportion of lowland livestock farms compared to the national average, with 21% compared to 17%, reflecting the importance of grassland in the region.

Agricultural land use in England and the South West 2006

(click to enlarge)
Source: Defra Census Data (2007)

In 2006, the South West had a greater proportion of very small farms (<5 ha) than the English average, with 45% compared to 42%, and fewer very large farms (>100 ha) with 10% compared to 13% nationally.

Agricultural land use is also reflected in the distribution of farm types. South West agriculture is dominated by farm holdings that are principally concerned with lowland cattle and sheep and 'other' forms of agriculture.

Compared to England, the South West has proportionately more farms in the dairy, lowland cattle & sheep and 'other' categories and proportionately fewer in cereals, general cropping and Less Favoured Area (LFA) cattle & sheep. The proportions of all other farm types are broadly comparable to the England average.

The 'other' category includes specialist activities (such as horses, goats or mushrooms) or activities which are of limited economic importance (such as set aside, non-classifiable holdings or specialist grass and forage).

Number of farms by farm type (%) in the South West & England 2006

Source: Defra Census Data (2007)

There are clear geographical variations in the distribution of different types of agriculture across the region. Cropping is largely restricted to farms in the north and east of the region, whilst farms covering large swathes of Devon and Cornwall (particularly Exmoor and Dartmoor) are predominately concerned with the rearing of cattle and sheep. In contrast, dairy and 'other' farms are reasonably well dispersed across the region.

Maps according to agricultural land use, type of farm and employment can be downloaded from the Defra website.

Some agricultural land is 'lost' to development each year; during 1998, for example, 760 hectares of agricultural land was changed to residential use in the South West.

Agricultural employment has changed considerably in the South West and nationally over the years. Since 2000, there has been a 55% decline in full time farmers in the region, combined with a 73% decline in part time farmers. However, the number of casual farmers has increased by 85% over the same time period and the total number of farmers has increased by 129%.

Organic farming in the South West

Research has shown that organically managed land provides greater potential for biodiversity than their conventional counterparts, with up to 85% more types of plants, 17% more spiders, 5% more birds and 33% more bats (British Trust for Ornithology, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, 2005).

In January 2006, there were 1152 registered organic producers and growers in the South West, 41% of the England total (up from 900 organic farms & 21% of the UK total in 2004). This equated to over 100,000 hectares or 6% of farmed land in the region (Defra, 2006).

With almost 27% of the regional total, Devon had the highest percentage of organic land, closely followed by Wiltshire with over 22%. Wiltshire also had the highest proportion of agricultural land under organic management.

Organic land and in-conversion land (January 2006)

*includes land in conversion
Source: Defra (2006)
Source: Defra (2005)

Rural Development Programme for England - South West update newsletter - July 2008

A monthly guide to what's going on in the South West Regional Development Agency that affects the rural environment in the South West. This most recent edition includes information on

• £1.9 million boost for Rural Enterprise Gateway
• RDPE is ‘open for business’
• Big interest in funding for local communities
• What future the South West Uplands?
• Blue Tongue project getting underway
• Training for forestry and agri-businesses

More information about the Rural Development Programme for England is available here

State of the farmed environment in England & Wales

Agriculture and farming is simply the working of the land, including cultivation of crops or trees or the raising of stock (whether cows, sheep or poultry).

‘Good farming, better environment’ provides a summary of the current state of the farmed environment and is a baseline that can be referred to in the future. It shows that there is much good news but there are some areas of concern. There are also some things that we don’t know enough about to complete the picture. We believe that government, agencies and the farming industry need to work together to address the challenges facing the farmed environment and to make the most of the opportunities being offered. This report is for anyone with an interest in farming and the countryside.

According to this report there are signs of environmental improvement, for example:

• The numbers of pollution incidents caused by farming have fallen.
• Levels of pesticides detected in rivers have declined.
• The numbers of some farmland wildlife have begun to stabilise and recover.

On the whole it is thought that the CAP reforms and wider agri-environment schemes will be good for the environment and good for farmers and growers. Farmers and growers will gain economic benefits, a strong sense of stewardship, as well as protecting the environment. The introduction of measures to protect soil and water (called resource protection measures) in agri-environment schemes is an opportunity to build on environmental improvements already made and farmers’ traditional role as stewards of the countryside. Many already farm in ways that protect the environment, so for them it should be ‘business as usual.’ We share with farmers and growers the desire for a sustainable, farmed environment that is both protected and productive.

The top three concerns for the farmed environment are:

• Nutrients, pesticides and sediment from farms are still polluting some rivers, lakes and coastal water. The quantities from individual farms may be small but the combined effect of this diffuse pollution is large.
• Some wildlife, once common to the farmed environment, continues to decline although these changes are not wholly due to farming.
• Climate change will present new challenges for farmers and not enough is known, for example about the implications for future land use, crop selection and soil management.

To ensure the best outcome for the environment certain things need to happen. Some of the actions farmers and growers take now may not have a measurable impact on the state of the environment perhaps for a decade to come, but unless action is taken some of our natural resources will be irreparably damaged. Continued support for the environment and for farmers and growers is needed from the Government in Westminster and the National Assembly for Wales, from other agencies and from organisations such as the Environment Agency.

This report also identifies the top three things needing to happen to support good farming for a better environment:

1. We want to see farmers and growers better able to rise to the environmental challenges so that the
   environment is an integral and instinctive part of their business.
2. We want to see wider recognition of farmers’ and growers’ unique role in producing our food, our landscape and our environment.
3. The Environment Agency will continue to improve its regulation of farmers and growers by finding the right
   balance between regulation, advice and incentives and by recognising good performance. It will focus on
   areas of highest risk and reduce the administrative burden of our regulation. It will support farmers by
   promoting voluntary measures and monitor these so we know that they are working.

Climate change, agriculture & land management

A new report on climate change, agriculture & land management was launched by the National Farmer Union in December 2007.

Part of the Solution (NFU, 2007), highlights the fact that agriculture has an essential role to play in the fight against climate change but the Government must work with the sector to ensure all the tools are available to the industry and all the potential opportunities are maximised. The report sets out the industry's recommendations for action, and what it believes its future priorities should be, and says there will be substantial economic, social and environmental benefits in taking action now to ensure agriculture remains economically and environmentally viable.

Recommendations include the need to encourage best practice across a range of activities on the land, in order to
better address the threat of climate change. Some are recommendations for action (immediately, or by 2010);
others are proposals for future work to be carried forward by the Task Force and members of our organisations. Specific recommendations and follow-up work fall in two main categories:

1. Those where the agricultural sector should take a lead (e.g. educational measures and voluntary agreements)
2. Those where government should lead (financial incentives and research)

Find out more by downloading the full report.

New one-stop shop of wildlife information for farmers

FarmWildife is a new website aimed at providing wildlife information for the farming community.

Launched by the RSPB in partnership with a wide range of other conservation organisations (including Game Conservancy Trust, English Nature, FWAG and Rural Development Services), this website provides:

• Case studies - learn from the experiences of other farmers doing conservation work – what they have done, why they are doing it and what has it achieved for their wildlife and their farm businesses
• Discussion forum - your chance to post ideas, ask questions and read discussions on how to benefit wildlife through farm management.
• Information library - The best information on farmland wildlife conservation and the schemes available can be found here through links to the relevant websites

Tips on managing for farmland birds and as well as how to provide safe nesting sites, food in winter and in summer, can also be found in the farming pages of the RSPB website.

Defra announces new measures to help farmers tackle pollution

New measures aimed at improving farm practices and reducing water pollution from agriculture have been announced by Defra.

Forty areas across England have been identified as priority areas for action and will be targeted with the aim of reducing agricultural pollution.

Dedicated advisers will work on a one-to-one basis with farmers, as well as leading a series of initiatives including workshops and farm demonstrations to encourage best practice.

The £25 million catchment sensitive farming initiative focuses on local engagement, and partnership working with farmers, farm advisers, conservation bodies, water companies and other interested parties.

Pollution caused by agriculture can have serious affects on local rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters. An overloading of nutrients from fields can boost growth of algae, which in turn squeezes out plants like stonewarts and water buttercups. Oxygen levels can also become depleted, suffocating fish.

Treating water pollution can be expensive. The cost of removing harmful pesticides and nitrates from drinking water is estimated at £7 a year for every water customer.

South West priority areas

• Chesil, The Fleet, Poole Harbour and River Frome
• Exe Catchment
• Dorset Stour (Middle reaches)
• Hampshire Avon Catchment
• South West Cornwall Catchments
• River Camel
• Rivers Axe and Otter
• Slapton Ley and Salcombe to Kingsbridge Catchments
• Somerset Levels and Bridgwater Bay
• Tamar and Tavy Catchments
• Yealm and Erme Catchments

Soil condition in the South West

Whilst not fully documented, poor soil structure is evident in the South West and is particularly acute on the sandy and silty soils in Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire. Surveys in three river catchment areas carried out by the National Soil Resources Institute on behalf of the Environment Agency have revealed that 80% of sites in 2003 (178) visited on cultivated land with sandy/silty soils have poor soil structure sufficient enough to cause enhanced runoff.

The region’s high rainfall, steep slopes and vulnerable soils, together with poor soil structure, result in increasing problems with water pollution and runoff. Furthermore, poor soil structure leads to an inability of crops and soil to make best use of manure and fertilisers. Large areas of South West soils are easily sealed by heavy rain and by inappropriate land work, causing local flooding, mud on roads and damage to property. This also causes water pollution as sediment and pollutants enter rivers affecting river habitats and spawning grounds for salmon, trout and other aquatic wildlife.

Identifying practical soil management options to reduce erosion has to be undertaken on a case by case basis. Defra launched a new agri-environment scheme for England in March 2005. Known as Environmental Stewardship it contains measures to help reduce soil erosion.

See section on soil for more information.

Agricultural employment in the South West

Agriculture accounts for less than 2% of regional output and 3% of employment in the South West.

22,944 people were employed as full-time farmers during 2004 and 31,495 employed part-time in the South West. The number of full-time employed farmers has declined by just under 8% between 2000 and 2004, whilst there was a corresponding increase of just over 7% in those farming part-time.

Full & part-time Agricultural employment in the South West 2000-2004

(click to enlarge)

Source: Agricultural Census, Defra, 2005

Agriculture in the UK is an ageing industry with 77% of farmers aged between 45 and over 65 (see graph below). The number of farmers under 35 declined by 2% between 1990 and 2000. The EC Survey 1999/2000 also revealed that young people tend to occupy the largest holdings. This indicates that fewer young people are either staying with or starting up in agriculture because of the perceived lack of career and economic opportunities in the agricultural industry compared to other sectors.

Age structure of farmers in the UK (all farm types) 1990 and 2000

(click to enlarge)

Source: EC Farm Structure Survey, 2003

Agricultural income

The table below summarises the results of the Farm Business Survey for 2003/04 and 2004/05, showing the levels of Net Farm Income (NFI) across each of the farming systems, the 04/05 figures being based on the provisional national Defra calculations.

These survey results show that, in overall terms, the weighted ‘all types’ average fell to £14,502 per farm, which reveals a drop in income of 28%. Following two years of recovery, incomes are now approaching the 2000/01 low point of £7,000. However, there are two farm types moving against the general trend. After an increase of over 100% in 2003/04, ‘cereals’ farms incomes more than halved, taking them below the 2002/03 level, which reflects the changing cereal price, while on ‘dairy’ farms NFI increased by 13%.

Despite continuing problems in the dairy processing sector, both nationally and regionally, the increase in ‘dairy’ incomes came as a result of lower quota leasing costs due to less likelihood of a milk quota levy and the dairy Premium Scheme,

Changes in net farm income in Southwest England (Exeter province), 2003/04 and 2004/05

(a) Excluding horticulture
* calculated from provisional Defra Net Farm Income figures January 2005.
Source: Centre for Rural Research, University of Exeter