Farm Structure Survey Results

Introductory note

Contents

Farm structure survey FSS 2005 was the second sample survey between two exhaustive surveys that are carried out regularly in the beginning and in the end of each decade worldwide. The FSS 2005 is aimed to update and complete information obtained by the across-the-board agricultural census referred to as Agrocensus 2000, i.e. describe perfectly up-to-date structure of agricultural holdings, their position, economy size and production orientation in the system of characteristics that are determined in EU legislation. Collected data were used mainly to update the Farm Register. The Farm Register is the basis for generating samples for regular surveys. Grossed-up data gives an overview of the structure of holdings in Czech agriculture.


The Czech Statistical Office followed EU legislation during the preparation of all Farm Structure Surveys and the Agrocensus 2000 as well. Council Regulation (EEC) No. 571/88 of 29 February 1988 is the basic law, that places duty for Member States to organise surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings in their country. Other follow-up regulation is Commission Decision 2000/115/EC of 24 November 1999 defining the characteristics, a list of agricultural products, regions and districts regarding the surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings and specifying exceptions to the definitions.

Farm Structure Survey 2003 served as the preparation of new countries before joining the European Union. Regulation for the survey 2003 was Commission Regulation (EC) No. 143/2002 of 24 January 2002 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 in view of the organisation of the Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

As a result of the accession of 10 new countries including the Czech Republic on 1 May 2004, Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2139/2004 of 8 December 2004 adapting and implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 and amending Commission Decision 2000/115/EC with a view to the organisation of Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings in 2005 and 2007 came into force. This regulation amends the list of surveyed characteristics and defines characteristics that were not surveyed in previous surveys. It also determines that all Member States’ statistics transmitted to the Commission, which are broken down by territorial units should use the NUTS classification. Consequently, the regions and districts should be defined in accordance with the NUTS classification. Moreover, there are set out time limits for the communication of validated individual data from the farm structure survey.

Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 1435/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 2004 amending, as a result of enlargement, Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 on the organisation of Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings, it is appropriate to provide for a maximum Community contribution per survey in this new Member states in 2005 and 2007.

The new political goal of achieving a sustainable common agricultural policy calls for more information, especially on rural development.


New national legislation regulating business in agriculture, Act No. 85/2004 of the Code. on the agriculture, came into force at 1 May 2004, i. e. at the moment of accession the Czech Republic to the European Union. Besides a new definition of business in agriculture the law brought a change of registration as well. New agricultural entrepreneurs fulfilling conditions prescribed by the law obtain a certificate of registration as an agricultural entrepreneur. Farmers registered according to previous regulations have to be re-registered excluding private farmers. Their certificates are valid till 1 May 2009. Natural person keeping minor planting and breeding activities is not subject to registration as an agricultural entrepreneur.

Therefore new legal forms of reporting units occured in Farm Structure Survey 2005, i.e. unincorporated agricultural entrepreneur – natural person and incorporated agricultural entrepreneur – natural person. Reporting duty for Farm Structure Survey 2005 applied to all natural and legal persons regardless of legal forms that are engaged in agriculture and exceed the defined thresholds.

Threshold values for the survey were set this way: at least 1 hectare of utilised agricultural land owned or rented, or a minimum area of 1 500 m² of intensive crops (orchards, vegetables, flowers), or 1 000 m² of vineyards or 300 m² of area under cover, or the breeding of a minimum of 1 head of cattle, or 2 pigs, or 4 sheep and goats, or 50 heads of poultry, or 100 rabbits or fur animals.
Farm Structure Survey 2005 was based on the thresholds set up for Agrocensus 2000 in the Czech Republic. Most characteristics included and applied in the FSS were of state nature. For these characteristics, the reporting units gave the value of indicator with reference to the actual state at the moment of the survey carried out during September. Total results were then related to 30 September 2005. Due to the methodology (AWU - Annual Work Unit), the quantities concerning the use of labour force in agriculture were measured for the period of previous 12 months (October 2004 to September 2005).

Taking into account that the importance of information on organic farming, nonagricultural and follow up activities will growth, both because of the increasing share of these activities in agricultural holdings and in connection with the oncoming system of rural areas granting from the new „European Agricultural Fund for the Rural Developement“, the reporting units were asked (besides characteristics on primary agricultural production) also questions on their follow up activities related to the environment, on utilisation of rural area and on agro tourism. For instance, the FSS results show that the number of agriculture holdings applying organic farming methods has increased from 485 in 2003 to 763 in 2005.