Agriculture; labour force by region

View full table Show description
Periods Persons Regularly employed Regularly employed, total (number) Persons Regularly employed Family labour Family labour, total (number) Persons Regularly employed Family labour Holder (number) Persons Regularly employed Family labour Spouse (number) Persons Regularly employed Family labour Family workers (number) Persons Regularly employed Non-family labour Non-family labour, total (number) Persons Regularly employed Non-family labour Manager (number) Persons Regularly employed Non-family labour Other persons regularly employed (number) Persons Not regularly employed (number) Annual work units (AWU) Regularly employed Regularly employed, total (number) Annual work units (AWU) Regularly employed Family labour Family labour, total (number) Annual work units (AWU) Regularly employed Family labour Holder (number) Annual work units (AWU) Regularly employed Family labour Spouse (number) Annual work units (AWU) Regularly employed Family labour Family workers (number) Annual work units (AWU) Regularly employed Non-family labour Non-family labour, total (number) Annual work units (AWU) Regularly employed Non-family labour Manager (number) Annual work units (AWU) Regularly employed Non-family labour Other persons regularly employed (number) Annual work units (AWU) Not regularly employed (number) Holdings Regularly employed Regularly employed, total (number) Holdings Regularly employed Family labour Family labour, total (number) Holdings Regularly employed Family labour Holder (number) Holdings Regularly employed Family labour Spouse (number) Holdings Regularly employed Family labour Family workers (number) Holdings Regularly employed Non-family labour Non-family labour, total (number) Holdings Regularly employed Non-family labour Manager (number) Holdings Regularly employed Non-family labour Other persons regularly employed (number) Holdings Not regularly employed (number)
2000 280,584 194,292 93,138 43,338 57,816 86,292 4,251 82,041 . 196,613 138,933 76,857 27,251 34,825 57,680 3,664 54,016 15,284 97,389 93,138 93,138 43,338 34,677 18,398 4,251 17,302 14,082
2005 235,450 163,387 77,749 41,190 44,448 72,063 4,001 68,062 . 159,457 111,370 61,187 22,644 27,540 48,087 3,205 44,882 15,530 81,750 77,749 77,749 41,190 25,663 15,397 4,001 15,397 20,469
2010 211,751 148,045 68,141 42,683 37,221 63,706 4,183 59,523 . 141,407 95,549 54,139 21,399 20,010 45,858 3,394 42,464 28,180 72,324 68,141 68,141 42,683 24,135 14,501 4,183 13,515 38,861
2015 185,714 130,489 59,471 . . 55,225 4,442 50,783 . 127,390 87,657 48,156 . . 39,733 3,550 36,182 29,019 63,913 59,471 59,471 . . 14,005 4,442 12,974 40,760
2020 175,015 112,710 48,021 . . 62,305 4,674 57,631 . 124,254 78,071 41,456 . . 46,183 3,917 42,266 33,470 52,695 48,021 48,021 . . 14,448 4,674 13,620 38,884
2022 178,575 106,453 45,875 . . 72,122 5,100 67,022 . 126,697 74,283 39,600 . . 52,414 4,274 48,140 32,247 50,975 45,875 45,875 . . 16,328 5,100 15,563 37,591
2023 185,096 109,077 45,314 . . 76,019 5,320 70,699 . 131,238 75,400 39,023 . . 55,838 4,461 51,377 33,492 50,634 45,314 45,314 . . 16,379 5,320 15,601 38,593
2024 184,646 109,818 44,364 . . 74,828 5,536 69,292 . 130,592 75,275 38,233 . . 55,317 4,648 50,669 32,473 49,900 44,364 44,364 . . 16,141 5,536 15,258 40,005
2025* 179,143 106,123 43,671 . . 73,020 5,788 67,232 . 128,190 72,994 37,597 . . 55,195 4,846 50,350 32,764 49,459 43,671 43,671 . . 14,117 5,788 12,880 40,087
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains data at regional level on the number of persons employed on agricultural holdings, the corresponding annual work units (AWUs) and the number of holdings with workers.

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.

Data on labour force refer to the period April to March of the year preceding the agricultural census.

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 for the current year are published in November and the definite figures will follow in March of the following year.

Description topics

Persons
Persons working on the agricultural holding.
Regularly employed
Persons working regularly at the holding, generally on the basis of a permanent contract.
Regularly employed, total
Family labour
Family labour, total
Holder
If the legal personality of the holding is a natural person or a cooperation of natural persons, there is a holder.
If the legal personality of the holding is a legal person there is a manager.
_
The holder is the person on whose account and in whose name the holding is operated and who is legally and economically responsible for the holding, i.e. who takes the economic risks of the business.
_
If there is joint responsibility or management the holder is the person with the largest business responsibility. If all persons have equal responsibility, the eldest is considered holder. In most cases the holder is also the manager.
_
Note: In the agricultural census information on the manager is only available if the holding is a legal person. For the European Farm Structure Survey information on the manager is asked additionally if the holding is a natural person.
Spouse
Spouse of the holder/manager, working regularly at the holding.
Family workers
Family members of the holder/manager, working regularly at the holding.
_
Family members are relatives in the first or second degree (brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild), aged 16 years and over.
Non-family labour
Non-family labour, total
Manager
If the legal personality of the holding is a natural person or a cooperation of natural persons, there is a holder.
If the legal personality of the holding is a legal person there is a manager.
_
The manager is the person responsible for the normal daily financial and production routines of running the holding concerned.
_
In the agricultural census information on the manager is only available if the holding is a legal person. This also means that the number of managers represents the number of legal persons.
If the holding is a natural person the holder is in most cases also the manager.
_
For the European Farm Structure Survey information on the manager is asked additionally if the holding is a natural person.
Other persons regularly employed
Persons working regularly at the holding, excluding family workers and
managers.
Not regularly employed
Persons working on a non-regular basis, usually on contracts for a fixed time, for specific work or occasional work.
_
For persons not regularly employed only the number of working days is known, therefore only annual work units (AWU) and the number of holdings are available.
_
In 2003 and from 2005 onwards this includes labour from persons working on the holding but employed by a third party or under mutual-aid arrangements (e.g. labour supplied by agricultural contractors or cooperatives). Third party labour was not surveyed from 2000 to 2002 and in 2004. Unfortunately it cannot be determined whether or not this
labour was included.
Annual work units (AWU)
Annual work units (AWU) of the persons working at the holding.
_
An annual work unit is a full-time equivalent employment, i.e. the total hours worked divided by the average annual hours worked in full-time jobs.
Regularly employed
Persons working regularly on the holding, generally on the basis of a permanent contract.
Regularly employed, total
Family labour
Family labour, total
Holder
If the legal personality of the holding is a natural person or a cooperation of natural persons, there is a holder.
If the legal personality of the holding is a legal person there is a manager.
_
The holder is the person on whose account and in whose name the holding is operated and who is legally and economically responsible for the holding, i.e. who takes the economic risks of the business.
_
If there is joint responsibility or management the holder is the person with the largest business responsibility. If all persons have equal responsibility, the eldest is considered holder. In most cases the holder is also the manager.
_
Note: In the agricultural census information on the manager is only available if the holding is a legal person. For the European Farm Structure Survey information on the manager is asked additionally if the holding is a natural person.
Spouse
Spouse of the holder/manager, working regularly at the holding.
Family workers
Family members of the holder/manager, working regularly at the holding.
_
Family members are relatives in the first or second degree (brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild), aged 16 years or older.
Non-family labour
Non-family labour, total
Manager
If the legal personality of the holding is a natural person or a cooperation of natural persons, there is a holder.
If the legal personality of the holding is a legal person there is a manager.
_
The manager is the person responsible for the normal daily financial and production routines of running the holding concerned.
_
In the agricultural census information on the manager is only available if the holding is a legal person. This also means that the number of managers represents the number of legal persons.
If the holding is a natural person the holder is in most cases also the manager.
_
For the European Farm Structure Survey information on the manager is asked additionally if the holding is a natural person.
Other persons regularly employed
Persons working regularly at the holding, excluding family workers and managers.
Not regularly employed
Persons working on a non-regular basis, usually on contracts for a fixed time, for specific work or occasional work.
_
For persons not regularly employed only the number of working days is known, therefore only annual work units (AWU) and the number of holdings are available.
_
In 2003 and from 2005 onwards this includes labour from persons working on the holding but employed by a third party or under mutual-aid arrangements (e.g. labour supplied by agricultural contractors or cooperatives). Third party labour was not surveyed from 2000 to 2002 and in 2004. Unfortunately it cannot be determined whether or not this
labour was included.
Holdings
Agricultural holdings with workers.
_
Note: the sum of underlying parts may be bigger than the total for the whole group, because a holding may have several types of labour force (such a holding is counted for each type, but only once in the total).
Regularly employed
Persons working regularly on the holding, generally on the basis of a permanent contract.
Regularly employed, total
Family labour
Family labour, total
Holder
If the legal personality of the holding is a natural person or a cooperation of natural persons, there is a holder.
If the legal personality of the holding is a legal person there is a manager.
_
The holder is the person on whose account and in whose name the holding is operated and who is legally and economically responsible for the holding, i.e. who takes the economic risks of the business.
_
If there is joint responsibility or management the holder is the person with the largest business responsibility. If all persons have equal responsibility, the eldest is considered holder. In most cases the holder is also the manager.
_
Note: In the agricultural census information on the manager is only available if the holding is a legal person. For the European Farm Structure Survey information on the manager is asked additionally if the holding is a natural person.
Spouse
Spouse of the holder/manager, working regularly at the holding.
Family workers
Family members of the holder/manager, working regularly at the holding.
_
Family members are relatives in the first or second degree (brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild), aged 16 years or older.
Non-family labour
Non-family labour, total
Manager
If the legal personality of the holding is a natural person or a cooperation of natural persons, there is a holder.
If the legal personality of the holding is a legal person there is a manager.
_
The manager is the person responsible for the normal daily financial and production routines of running the holding concerned.
_
In the agricultural census information on the manager is only available if the holding is a legal person. This also means that the number of managers represents the number of legal persons.
If the holding is a natural person the holder is in most cases also the manager.
_
For the European Farm Structure Survey information on the manager is asked additionally if the holding is a natural person.
Other persons regularly employed
Persons working regularly at the holding, excluding family workers and
managers.
Not regularly employed
Persons working on a non-regular basis, usually on contracts for a fixed time, for specific work or occasional work.
_
For persons not regularly employed only the number of working days is known, therefore only annual work units (AWU) and the number of holdings are available.
_
In 2003 and from 2005 onwards this includes labour from persons working on the holding but employed by a third party or under mutual-aid arrangements (e.g. labour supplied by agricultural contractors or cooperatives). Third party labour was not surveyed from 2000 to 2002 and in 2004. Unfortunately it cannot be determined whether or not this
labour was included.