Agriculture; labour force by region

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Gender Regions 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)
Total Nederland 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
Noord-Nederland (LD) 28,051 21,221 8,479 . . 6,830 549 6,281 . 19,361 15,001 7,522 . . 4,359 436 3,924 1,248 9,028 8,479 8,479 . . 2,407 549 2,253 7,601
Oost-Nederland (LD) 51,141 35,932 14,876 . . 15,209 1,294 13,915 . 34,733 24,344 12,596 . . 10,389 1,016 9,373 4,272 16,170 14,876 14,876 . . 4,001 1,294 3,709 13,513
West-Nederland (LD) 56,541 25,301 10,343 . . 31,240 1,875 29,365 . 43,027 17,646 9,076 . . 25,381 1,668 23,714 17,576 12,218 10,343 10,343 . . 3,948 1,875 3,644 9,583
Zuid-Nederland (LD) 43,410 23,669 9,973 . . 19,741 2,070 17,671 . 31,069 16,003 8,403 . . 15,066 1,726 13,339 9,668 12,043 9,973 9,973 . . 3,761 2,070 3,274 9,390
Male Nederland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Noord-Nederland (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oost-Nederland (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
West-Nederland (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Zuid-Nederland (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Female Nederland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Noord-Nederland (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oost-Nederland (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
West-Nederland (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Zuid-Nederland (LD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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.