Written Answers. - Farmer Numbers.
Billy Timmins
Question:
128
Mr. Timmins
asked the
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
the estimated number of full and part-time farmers in each of the past years 1980, 1999 and 2000; if a downward trend is a cause for concern; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8550/01]
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh): The following table sets out the numbers of full-time and part-time farmers, as defined by the CSO, for each of the years 1980, 1997 and 1999. Data relating to 1998 and 2000 are not available. The CSO defines a full-time farm as one on which farm work is the sole occupation of the farmer. If farm work is described as his-her major or subsidiary occupation, the farm is classified as part-time.
Numbers (000s)of Full-time and Part-time farmers, 1980, 1997 and 1999
|
Full-time (000s)
|
Part-time (000s)
|
Total Farmers (000s)
|
|
1980
|
163.4
|
59.3
|
222.7
|
|
1997
|
98.3
|
49.3
|
147.6
|
|
1999
|
87.5
|
56.2
|
143.7
|
Source CSO, Structural Surveys – Family Farms only
There has been a substantial decline in the recorded number of farms between 1980 and 1999. However, a significant element of this decline related to a change in the CSO's methodology of determining eligible farms from 1991 onwards. Until then, all farms, irrespective of size, were included. From 1991 onwards, farms below one hectare in size were excluded. Thus, close to 30,000 farms, which were previously counted, were excluded from data from 1991 onwards.
There are a number of other ways of defining full and part-time farming. In Teagasc's national farm survey, a full-time farm is defined as one which requires at least 0.75 standard labour units to operate. On this basis, Teagasc estimates that 60% of farms were part-time and 40% full-time in 1999. The figures from the 1997 survey were 58% and 42%, respectively. No comparable figures are available for 1980.
While I am concerned at the decline in the numbers of full-time farms, I welcome the trend of increased participation in off-farm employment to supplement farm household incomes among smaller farmers. This trend has been helped by the buoyancy in the economy generally and the substantial number of jobs now available in rural Ireland.
