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

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

Farm types Regions Periods Grazing livestock Number of farms Grazing livestock, total (number)
Specialist grazing livestock Nederland 2023 24,412
Specialist grazing livestock Noord-Nederland (LD) 2023 5,908
Specialist grazing livestock Oost-Nederland (LD) 2023 9,363
Specialist grazing livestock West-Nederland (LD) 2023 5,165
Specialist grazing livestock Zuid-Nederland (LD) 2023 3,976
Specialist grazing livestock Groningen (PV) 2023 1,127
Specialist grazing livestock Fryslân (PV) 2023 3,356
Specialist grazing livestock Drenthe (PV) 2023 1,425
Specialist grazing livestock Overijssel (PV) 2023 4,382
Specialist grazing livestock Flevoland (PV) 2023 231
Specialist grazing livestock Gelderland (PV) 2023 4,750
Specialist grazing livestock Utrecht (PV) 2023 1,694
Specialist grazing livestock Noord-Holland (PV) 2023 1,500
Specialist grazing livestock Zuid-Holland (PV) 2023 1,622
Specialist grazing livestock Zeeland (PV) 2023 349
Specialist grazing livestock Noord-Brabant (PV) 2023 3,150
Specialist grazing livestock Limburg (PV) 2023 826
Specialist grazing livestock Oost-Groningen (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Delfzijl en omgeving (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Overig Groningen (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Noord-Friesland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidwest-Friesland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidoost-Friesland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Noord-Drenthe (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidoost-Drenthe (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidwest-Drenthe (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Noord-Overijssel (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidwest-Overijssel (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Twente (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Veluwe (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Achterhoek (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Arnhem/Nijmegen (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidwest-Gelderland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Utrecht (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Kop van Noord-Holland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Alkmaar en omgeving (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock IJmond (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Agglomeratie Haarlem (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zaanstreek (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Groot-Amsterdam (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Het Gooi en Vechtstreek (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Agglomeratie Leiden en Bollenstreek (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Agglomeratie 's-Gravenhage (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Delft en Westland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Oost-Zuid-Holland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Groot-Rijnmond (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidoost-Zuid-Holland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zeeuwsch-Vlaanderen (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Overig Zeeland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock West-Noord-Brabant (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Midden-Noord-Brabant (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Noordoost-Noord-Brabant (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidoost-Noord-Brabant (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Noord-Limburg (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Midden-Limburg (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Zuid-Limburg (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Flevoland (CR) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Bouwhoek en Hogeland (LG) 2023 749
Specialist grazing livestock Veenkoloniën en Oldambt (LG) 2023 899
Specialist grazing livestock Noordelijk Weidegebied (LG) 2023 5,210
Specialist grazing livestock Oostelijk Veehouderijgebied (LG) 2023 5,857
Specialist grazing livestock Centraal Veehouderijgebied (LG) 2023 1,799
Specialist grazing livestock IJsselmeerpolders (LG) 2023 368
Specialist grazing livestock Westelijk Holland (LG) 2023 1,405
Specialist grazing livestock Waterland en Droogmakerijen (LG) 2023 552
Specialist grazing livestock Hollands/Utrechts Weidegebied (LG) 2023 2,066
Specialist grazing livestock Rivierengebied (LG) 2023 1,166
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidwestelijk Akkerbouwgebied (LG) 2023 708
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidwest-Brabant (LG) 2023 324
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidelijk Veehouderijgebied (LG) 2023 3,050
Specialist grazing livestock Zuid-Limburg (LG) 2023 259
Specialist grazing livestock De Marne (LB) 2023 0
Specialist grazing livestock Centraal Weidegebied in Groningen (LB) 2023 95
Specialist grazing livestock Oostelijke Bouwstreek in Groningen (LB) 2023 260
Specialist grazing livestock Westerwolde en Gron. Veenkoloniën (LB) 2023 104
Specialist grazing livestock Groninger zuidelijk Westerkwartier (LB) 2023 471
Specialist grazing livestock Oostelijk Hogeland (LB) 2023 197
Specialist grazing livestock Noordelijk Friesland (LB) 2023 552
Specialist grazing livestock Weidestreek in Friesland (LB) 2023 1,308
Specialist grazing livestock De Wouden (LB) 2023 1,428
Specialist grazing livestock Eilanden (LB) 2023 68
Specialist grazing livestock Weidegebied van het Noorderveld (LB) 2023 110
Specialist grazing livestock Smilde en Centr. Zandgebied in Dr. (LB) 2023 275
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidw. Weidegebied in Drenthe (LB) 2023 488
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidelijk Zandgebied in Drenthe (LB) 2023 292
Specialist grazing livestock Drentse Veenkoloniën en Hondsrug (LB) 2023 260
Specialist grazing livestock Weidegebied in Overijssel (LB) 2023 1,242
Specialist grazing livestock Noordoost-Overijssel (LB) 2023 508
Specialist grazing livestock Twente (LB) 2023 1,906
Specialist grazing livestock Salland (LB) 2023 726
Specialist grazing livestock Noordoostelijke Polder (LB) 2023 76
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidelijke IJsselmeerpolders (LB) 2023 155
Specialist grazing livestock Oostelijke Veluwe (LB) 2023 537
Specialist grazing livestock IJsselstreek (LB) 2023 281
Specialist grazing livestock Zuidelijk Gelderland (LB) 2023 362
Specialist grazing livestock Oostelijke Betuwe en Nijmegen (LB) 2023 42
Specialist grazing livestock Veluwezoom en Betuwe (LB) 2023 547
Specialist grazing livestock Bommelerwaard (LB) 2023 137
Specialist grazing livestock Westelijke Veluwe (LB) 2023 1,062
Specialist grazing livestock Achterhoek (LB) 2023 1,782
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


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.

In 2022, equidae are not part of the Agricultural Census. This affects the farm type and the total number of farms in the Agricultural Census. Farms with horses, ponies and donkeys that were previously classified as ‘specialist grazing livestock' could be classified, according to their dominant activity, as another farm type in 2022.

From 2020 onwards, the SO2017, based on the years 2015 to 2019, will apply (see also the explanation for SO: Standard Output).

From 2018 onwards the number of calves for fattening, pigs for fattening, chicken and turkey are adjusted in the case of temporary breaks in the production cycle (e.g. sanitary cleaning).
The agricultural census is a structural survey, in which adjustment for temporary breaks in the production cycle is a.o. relevant for the calculation of the economic size of the holding, and its farm type.
In the livestock surveys the number of animals on the reference day is relevant, therefore no adjustment for temporary breaks in the production cycle are made.
This means that the number of animals in the tables of the agricultural census may differ from those in the livestock tables (see ‘links to relevant tables and relevant articles).

From 2017 onwards, animal numbers are increasingly derived from I&R registers (Identification and Registration of animals), instead of by means of the combined data collection. The I&R registers are the responsibility of RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency). Since 2017, cattle numbers are derived from I&R cattle, and from 2018 sheep, goats and poultry are also derived from the relevant I&R registers. The registration of cattle, sheep and goats takes place directly at RVO. Poultry data is collected via the designated database Poultry Information System Poultry (KIP) from Avined. Avined is a branch organization for the egg and poultry meat sectors. Avined passes the data on to the central database of RVO. Due to the transition to the use of I&R registers, a change in classification will occur for sheep and goats from 2018 onwards.

Since 2016, information of the Dutch Business Register is used to define the agricultural census. Registration in the Business Register with an agricultural standard industrial classification code (SIC), related to NACE/ISIC, (in Dutch SBI: ‘Standaard BedrijfsIndeling’) is leading to determine whether there is an agricultural holding. This aligns the agricultural census as closely as possible to the statistical regulations of Eurostat and the (Dutch) implementation of the definition of 'active farmer' as described in the common agricultural policy.

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, 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).

In 2011 there were changes in geographic assignment of holdings with a foreign main seat. This may influence regional figures, mainly in border regions.

Until 2010 the economic size of agricultural holdings was expressed in Dutch size units (in Dutch NGE: 'Nederlandse Grootte Eenheid'). From 2010 onwards this has become Standard Output (SO). This means that the threshold for holdings in the agricultural census has changed from 3 NGE to 3000 euro SO. For comparable time series the figures for 2000 up to and including 2009 have been recalculated, based on SO coefficients and SO typology. The latest update took place in 2016.

Data available from: 2000

Status of the figures: The figures are final.

Changes as of March 29, 2024: the final figures for 2023 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

Grazing livestock
Includes cattle, sheep, goats and equidae.
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