Agricultural Land Classification detailed Post 1988 survey ALCR07594

Post-1988 Agricultural Land Classification survey data includes scanned original paper maps and reports for individual sites surveyed in detail between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The data uses the grading methodology from the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' guidelines and includes the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b. Some surveys also contain unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land capability based on the official grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil quality variations using the unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions mentioned for some surveys.
• Map land suitability for farming at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000 based on the scanned original paper maps.
• Compare land grades over time using surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999.

Strengths

• Data follows the official 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' methodology, ensuring a standardized grading system.
• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer detail for moderate-quality land.
• Original scanned maps and reports preserve the detail of historical surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), now Natural England.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with soil analysis, mapping, and report generation.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Historical data from surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999; current update status is unknown.

Geography

Individual survey sites in England and Wales, specifically the 'Middleton, Yapton Road (Arun LP Site 11)' area.