Question
asked Her Majesty's Government:How many dairy and pig farmers there were in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1997–2006.
Answer
The number of holdings in England recording pigs or dairy cows is shown below. Figures for the other UK countries fall under the jurisdiction of the devolved authorities.
| Pigs and no Dairy | Dairy and no Pigs | Dairy and Pigs | ||||
| Holdings | Farmers | Holdings | Farmers | Holdings | Farmers | |
| 1997 | 8,530 | 14,273 | 21,216 | 41,233 | 1,716 | 3,478 |
| 1998 | 8,517 | 14,393 | 20,626 | 41,459 | 1,690 | 3,439 |
| 1999 | 7,979 | 13,281 | 19,852 | 39,935 | 1,474 | 2,945 |
| 2000 | 7,998 | 13,584 | 18,753 | 38,362 | 1,341 | 2,652 |
| 2001 | 7,936 | 13,834 | 17,260 | 35,994 | 1,254 | 2,531 |
| 2002 | 8,130 | 13,525 | 17,536 | 36,237 | 1,141 | 2,219 |
| 2003 | 7,972 | 12,914 | 16,623 | 34,545 | 1,035 | 1,953 |
| 2004 | 8,305 | 13,648 | 16,128 | 33,727 | 1,072 | 1,975 |
| 2005 | 8,653 | 13,938 | 15,491 | 31,094 | 1,014 | 1,863 |
| 2006 | 8,260 | 13,643 | 15,009 | 30,396 | 985 | 1,873 |
| Source: June Agricultural Survey | ||||||
| Notes: | ||||||
| 1. Data prior to 2000 are for main holding only. From 2000 onwards, all holdings are included. | ||||||
| 2. Estimates have been made for holdings not responding or not selected for the survey. | ||||||
| 3. Farmers include full- and part-time farmers, partners, directors and spouses, if working on the holding. | ||||||
| 4. Due to the introduction of new labour questions in 1998, figures prior to this year are not directly comparable with earlier years’ results. | ||||||
| 5. Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001, labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results. |