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

Table explanation

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.

Land use

Number of farms

Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).

Land use, total

Utilised agricultural area (UAA)

Utilised agricultural area (UAA) is land that is permanently or
temporarily part of the holding, and is mainly used for the production of agricultural goods (crops, livestock), including fallow land and (temporary) grassland.
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Includes arable land, horticulture in the open, horticulture under glass, grassland and green fodder crops.

Other land

Includes unutilised agricultural land, wooded area, and other land (e.g. buildings, farmyard, ponds, nature reserves).

Arable land

Refers to the growing of crops in the open, usually for industrial processing.

Number of farms

Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).

Arable land, total

Vegetables, arable

Arable vegetables are grown in the open, in rotation with other
arable crops, and are usually intended for industrial processing.
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Crop rotation is the practice of growing different crops on the same land to avoid build-up of pathogens and depletion of soil nutrients.
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Arable vegetables include: kale, peas (harvested green), celeriac, beetroot, rutabaga, salsify, spinach, French beans, sweet corn, broad beans (harvested green), onions, winter carrots and Belgian endive (roots).

Cereals

Cereals harvested for grain, including seed.
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Includes barley, sorghum, oats, maize (excluding green maize), rye, wheat and triticale.

Grass seed

Including clover seed.

Industrial crops

Crops that are normally not sold directly for consumption because they need to be industrially processed prior to final use.
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Includes black poppy, industrial chicory, hemp, caraway seed, colza seed, rape seed, linseed, soy beans, flax and sunflowers.

Pulses

Plants with edible seeds that grow in pulses.
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Includes kidney beans, grey peas, sweet lupines, broad beans (harvested dry), field beans and field peas.

Sugar beets

Other arable crops

Includes miscanthus and sod.

Fallow land

Land with no intention to produce a harvest for the duration of the current crop year.
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Includes set aside area, cover crops and fauna margins.

Horticulture, in the open

Refers to the growing of crops in the open, usually directly for
the market.

Number of farms

Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).

Horticulture in the open, total

Flower bulbs

Includes dahlia, gladioli, hyacinths, irises, crocuses, lilies, daffodils, tulips and zantedeschia.

Floricultural crops

Includes flower seeds.

Nurseries and perennial plants

Includes wood and hedge plantation, buxus, lane and park trees, rose bush, ornamental conifers, ornamental shrubs, climbers, fruit trees and perennial plants.

Fruit in the open

Includes soft fruits (e.g. blueberries, raspberries), stone fruits (e.g. apples, pears, prunes), nuts and grapes. Standard tree orchards have been added since 2016 onwards.

Vegetables, horticultural

HHorticultural vegetables are grown in the open, in rotation with other horticultural crops, and usually intended for fresh consumption.
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Crop rotation is the practice of growing different crops on the same land to avoid build-up of pathogens and depletion of soil nutrients.
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Horticultural vegetables include: strawberries, endive, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, cucurbits, fennel, kohlrabi, podded peas, leeks, runner beans, rhubarb, celery, lettuce, cabbages (red, white, savoy, pointed), Brussels sprouts, climbing French beans, other horticultural vegetables (e.g. radish, turnip) and nursery material for vegetables in the open (including vegetable seeds).

Horticulture, under glass

Refers to the growing of crops under glass or other (accessible) protective cover.

Number of farms

Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).

Horticulture under glass, total

Floricultural crops

Includes amaryllis, flower seeds, potted plants, cut-flowers and nursing material for floricultural crops.

Nurseries and perennial plants

Excluding crops kept under glass just for hibernation.

Fruit under glass

Vegetables, under glass

Includes aubergines, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and nursery material for vegetables under glass.

Horticulture, other

Refers to cultivation that does not require land use (mushrooms, bulb forcing, Belgian endive cultivation).

Number of farms

Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).

Belgian endive cultivation

The area of roots, grown in the previous year, from which Belgian endive leaves are grown in the current year.
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Belgian endive is biennial. In the first year the roots are grown; in the following year these are induced to produce creamy white leaves, to be cooked or eaten raw in salads.

Grassland and forage plants

Grassland and green fodder usually serves as fresh forage.

Number of farms

Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).

Grassland and forage plants, total

Forage plants

Includes lucerne, green maize and fodder beet.

Grazing livestock

Includes cattle, sheep, goats and equidae.

Number of animals

Cattle

From 2013 onward the categories ‘Cows for fattening (>= 2 years)’ and ‘Suckling cows (>= 2 years)’ are no longer available separately, but merged into the new category ‘Other cows’. Also from 2013 onwards the categories ‘Bulls for breeding (>= 2 years)’ and ‘Bulls for fattening (>= 2 years)’ are merged into the new category ‘Bulls (>= 2 years)’.
Because of this the totals for ‘Cattle for milk or breeding’ and for ‘Cattle for fattening or grazing’ are no longer available.
From 2017 onwards, the cattle data are derived from the I&R register (Identification and Registration) for cattle. This may, in comparison with the previous data collection method, affect the distribution between the different categories.

Dairy cows (>= 2 years)

Female bovine animals aged 2 years or older, that have calved at least once, and are kept for the production of milk or for breeding; includes dry cows (cows that temporarily do not produce milk because they are in calf).

Number of farms

Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).

Grazing livestock, total

Cattle

From 2013 onward the categories ‘Cows for fattening (>= 2 years)’ and ‘Suckling cows (>= 2 years)’ are no longer available separately, but merged into the new category ‘Other cows’. Also from 2013 onwards the categories ‘Bulls for breeding (>= 2 years)’ and ‘Bulls for fattening (>= 2 years)’ are merged into the new category ‘Bulls (>= 2 years)’.
Because of this the totals for ‘Cattle for milk or breeding’ and for ‘Cattle for fattening or grazing’ are no longer available.
From 2017 onwards, the cattle data are derived from the I&R register (Identification and Registration) for cattle. This may, in comparison with the previous data collection method, affect the distribution between the different categories.

Dairy cows (>= 2 years)

Female bovine animals aged 2 years or older, that have calved at least once, and are kept for the production of milk or for breeding; includes dry cows (cows that temporarily do not produce milk because they are in calf).

Sheep

From 2018 onwards the sheep data are derived from the I&R register (Identification and Registration) for sheep. As a result, the classification has changed compared to previous years.

Housed animals

Includes pigs, poultry, rabbits and furred animals.
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In the case of poultry, rabbits and furred animals groups of fewer than 25 animals are not included, in order to separate animals kept commercially from those kept as a hobby.

Number of farms

Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several activities (such a holding is counted for each activity, but only once in the total).

Housed animals, total

Turkeys

Ducks for fattening

Other poultry

Laying ducks, geese, guinea fowl and similar.

Rabbits

Weanling rabbits for meat and does.

Furred animals

Since 8 January 2021, there has been a ban on fur farming in the Netherlands.
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Mink and other fur animals, dams only.
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Since 2008 mainly mink.
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It is no longer allowed in the Netherlands to breed foxes and chinchillas for fur. In 1998 it was already decided that no new fox and chinchilla farms were allowed to be added, and that existing farms could not expand. On April 1, 2008, the ten-year transition period for existing breeding farms came to an end.