Agriculture; crops, livestock and land use by general farm type, region

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Farm types Periods Number of farms, total (number)
All farm types 2000 97,389
2005 81,750
2010 72,324
2015 63,913
2016 55,688
2017 54,849
2018 53,910
2019 53,233
2020 52,695
2021 52,107
Specialist field crops 2000 14,799
2005 13,060
2010 11,962
2015 12,393
2016 10,823
2017 10,691
2018 10,834
2019 10,979
2020 11,174
2021 11,189
Specialist horticulture 2000 16,910
2005 13,415
2010 10,198
2015 8,043
2016 7,388
2017 7,079
2018 6,742
2019 6,786
2020 6,920
2021 6,995
Specialist permanent crops 2000 2,383
2005 1,915
2010 1,825
2015 1,652
2016 1,612
2017 1,612
2018 1,586
2019 1,585
2020 1,508
2021 1,512
Specialist grazing livestock 2000 45,102
2005 40,387
2010 38,024
2015 33,641
2016 27,917
2017 27,561
2018 26,895
2019 26,297
2020 25,933
2021 25,619
Specialist granivores 2000 10,444
2005 7,760
2010 6,479
2015 5,107
2016 4,836
2017 4,649
2018 4,629
2019 4,439
2020 4,164
2021 3,799
Specialist mixed cropping 2000 1,497
2005 1,043
2010 905
2015 966
2016 1,075
2017 1,119
2018 1,155
2019 1,127
2020 1,165
2021 1,220
Specialist mixed livestock 2000 3,069
2005 1,876
2010 1,072
2015 660
2016 608
2017 582
2018 553
2019 490
2020 372
2021 375
Specialist mixed crops/livestock 2000 3,185
2005 2,294
2010 1,859
2015 1,451
2016 1,429
2017 1,556
2018 1,516
2019 1,530
2020 1,459
2021 1,398
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains data on land use, arable farming, horticulture, grassland, grazing livestock and housed animals, at regional level, by general farm type.

The figures in this table are derived from the agricultural census. Data collection for the agricultural census is part of a combined data collection for a.o. agricultural policy use and enforcement of the manure law.

Regional breakdown is based on the main location of the holding. Due to this the region where activities (crops, animals) are allocated may differ from the location where these activities actually occur.

The agricultural census is also used as the basis for the European Farm Structure Survey (FSS). Data from the agricultural census do not fully coincide with the FSS. In the FSS years (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2010) additional information was collected to meet the requirements of the FSS.

Reference date for livestock is 1 April and for crops 15 May.

Data available from: 2000

Status of the figures: the 2025 figures are provisional; the other figures are final.

Changes as of November 28, 2025: the provisional 2025 figures have been added.

When will new figures be published?
According to regular planning provisional figures are published in November and the definite figures will follow in March of the following year.

Description topics

Number of farms, total
Holdings that produce agricultural goods commercially, are registered in the Netherlands, and have an economic size >= 3000 euro SO (Standard Output).
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Holdings < 3000 euro SO are very small, e.g. with only 1 dairy cow or 1 are of paprika.
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Up to 2009 the economic size of agricultural holdings was expressed in NGE (Dutch size units). The threshold then was 3 NGE. For comparability the figures from 2000 up to 2009 are recalculated based on SO coefficients. The original threshold however is maintained, so the population remains the same.
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The definition of the agricultural census based on information from the Dutch Business Register mainly affects the number of holdings, a clear deviation of the trend occurs. The impact on areas (except for other land and rough grazing) and the number of animals (except for sheep, and horses and ponies) is limited. This is mainly due to the holdings that are excluded as a result of the new delimitation of agricultural holdings (such as equestrian centres, city farms and organisations in nature management).
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For more explanation on SO and the definition of the agricultural census: see table explanation.