Farm Census Statistics for Northern Ireland by District Electoral Area

Farm census data for Northern Ireland has been collected since 1847, providing a long-term historical perspective on agricultural trends. The dataset covers all farm businesses and includes counts of livestock, farmed area, and labour force, aggregated by District Electoral Area. It combines survey responses with administrative data from the Animal and Public Health Information System (APHIS).

Use Cases

• Analyzing livestock distribution (cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry) across electoral districts.
• Tracking changes in farm size categories (very small, small, medium, large) over time.
• Mapping the extent of Less Favourable Area (LFA) farms versus Non-LFA farms.
• Assessing agricultural labour force composition, including farmers, spouses, and other workers.
• Monitoring land use patterns, such as area devoted to crops versus grass.

Strengths

• Census coverage of all farm businesses in Northern Ireland ensures completeness.
• Data collection began in 1847, offering potential for long-term historical analysis.
• Integration of survey data with administrative records (APHIS) likely improves accuracy.

Limitations

• Column names and exact data structure are not specified in the provided metadata.
• The last update date is inconsistently reported, with sources showing 2026-07-08 and 2026-06-18, which are future dates relative to the current time, indicating potential metadata errors.
• Specific row counts and dataset size are unknown.

Provenance

Source

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Northern Ireland

Collection Method

Combination of direct farm business surveys and administrative data from the Animal and Public Health Information System (APHIS).

Time Range

1847 to present (with historical data available)

Freshness

2026-07-08 13:31:38.233924

Geography

Northern Ireland, aggregated by District Electoral Area (DEA).