Farm structure survey
Survey for the regular collection of reliable statistics on the structure of EU farms
Description
Eurostat carries out a Farm Structure Survey (FSS) every 3 years to obtain reliable data on the structure of agricultural holdings in the European Union, contributing to the creation of a statistical database that can be used to assess the agricultural situation in the European Union. The survey results are used subsequently to monitor trends and transitions in the structure of European farms (agricultural holdings) and to support the management, evaluation and design of the environmental, economic and social aspects of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The acquired farm structure data serves as quantitative evidence supporting the monitoring of several of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the UN Member States in 2015.
Technology
The EUROSTAT FSS data can be accessed online from the Eurostat website, while the applied methodology is reported online in a technical fiche: ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/en/ef_sims.htm. The surveys are carried out by national data providers across Europe, and the resulting data are sent to Eurostat for processing. The data providers select samples, prepare the questionnaires, carry out direct interviews and collect data from administrative registers, and transmit their findings to Eurostat, with each farm holding providing data on 250–400 variables.
Target
The main users of the FSS are policymakers, researchers, civil society organizations, evaluators, commercial companies and other stakeholders involved in the agri-food sector and in rural development in the European Union and pre-accession countries.
Business model
The FSS is co-funded by the European Commission and the Member States. The data can be accessed free of charge for all users.
Impact
Eurostat has been collecting farm structure microdata in the European Union since 1990, both through an agricultural census (every 10 years) and sample surveys every 3 years. Some 1.7 million farms were included in the 2016 FSS, while in the 2010 agricultural census, data were collected from over 12.8 million farms, each of which provided data related to 250–400 variables. Farm structure data play a crucial role in policymaking as a key input when designing the CAP, which is managed and funded at an EU level using resources from the European Union’s budget. The acquired data also support policymakers in activities related to environment, regional development and climate change
Partners
EU Member States
Four Betters
Better production
