Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the change in the number of dairy farmers in (a) Chorley and (b) Lancashire between (i) 2008 and 2009 and (ii) 2009-10.
Answer
The grid referencing of the 2009 data is not yet complete so the latest information available is for 2008. This is shown in the following table, along with a comparison to 2007 to show the annual change.In the UK, the trend in dairy production is towards fewer, larger and more productive herds.
| 2007 | 2008 | 2007 | 2008 | |||
| Number of dairy holdings¹ | Percentage change 2008-07 | Number of farmers on dairy holdings² | Percentage change 2008-07 | |||
| Chorley | 42 | 41 | -2 | 90 | 91 | 1 |
| Lancashire³ | 717 | 675 | -6 | 1,531 | 1,477 | -4 |
| ¹ Dairy holdings are defined here as the number of holdings on the Cattle Tracing System on 1 June each year with more than 10 dairy cows in the milking herd. ² The number of farmers is defined as full and part-time farmers, partners, directors and spouses if working on the holding. ³ Lancashire is defined as Blackburn, Blackpool and Lancashire county council. |