Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Farm Business Survey (FBS) is conducted annually to collect business information from c.2,400 farms in England and Wales. The FBS provides information on the financial position and physical and economic performance of farm businesses, to inform policy decisions on matters affecting farm businesses and to enable analysis of impacts of policy options. It is intended to serve the needs of farmers, farming and land management interest groups, government (both national and European), government partners, and researchers. The primary objective of survey results is to contrast the performance or other business characteristics of different groupings of farm, such as between regions or other geographical or environmental designations, farm types, farm size, age or education of farmer etc. Up to and including the 2001/02 survey, FBS estimates were based on matching of the sample between two adjacent years. Farm weights were still calculated to present a matched sample however. From the 2002/03 survey onwards, matching between adjacent years was dropped altogether, and weights are now calculated for the full sample. The typology used to determine the FBS farm type classification was revised for 2009 onwards. The FBS typology is now based on standard outputs expressed in euros, with a minimum threshold of 25,000 euro (irrespective of the SLR) for FBS eligibility. Between 2009 and 2011, FBS farm type classification has been based on 2007 standard output (SO) coefficients. From 2012 to 2016, FBS farm type classification was based on 2010 SO coefficients, and from 2017 the FBS farm type classifications are based on 2013 SO coefficients. The change in typology has had an effect on the distribution of farms by farm type and income averages. Further information regarding the change in typology is available from the 'FBS Documents' section on the gov.uk Farm Business Survey – technical notes and guidance webpage. The Farm Business Survey is available under Special Licence access conditions. For further details on how to apply for access to the data, see the Access section below.
Users should note that data in Section A that record geographical grid references have been removed to protect the confidentiality of survey participants.The Farm Business Survey, 2017-2018: Special Licence Access study contains data based on both the 2010 and 2013 Standard Output (SO) classifications. This allows researchers to view the results based on either (or both) the 2010 or 2013 SO if they wish to understand and/or quantify the break in the time series as the results either side of the break are not directly comparable. Further information regarding the change in typology is available on the Gov.uk FBS webpages.For the third edition (May 2020), data files based on the 2010 SO classification have been added to the study to address changes in methodology. The study now contains data based on both the 2010 and 2013 SO classifications.
Main Topics:
Variables cover general and physical farm characteristics, labour, crops (previous and current harvest year, set-aside, by-products, forage and cultivations); miscellaneous receipts, livestock (dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, miscellaneous livestock), variable and fixed costs, assets, investment, liabilities, income from diversified activities (integrated and semi-integrated into the farm business), farmer and spouse off-farm hours and incomes, subsidies.
One-stage stratified or systematic random sample
Telephone interview
Transcription
Face-to-face interview
