Census of agriculture (discontinued), 1999

Preliminary figures show that in 1999 there were around 72 000 active farms. Since 1949 farming has ceased on two out of three farms, and compared with 1969 the number of farms has been cut in half. Ten years ago Norway had 99 000 farms with farmland in use.

The smallest farms with less than 50 decares of agricultural land in use account for the biggest decline in the number of farms. In 1999, 16 000 farms had less than 50 decares, and in 10 years, the number has been more than halved. For the first time the group of farms with between 100 and 199 decares in production also shows a slight reduction. Only farms with 200 or more decares in operation have increased in area, and in 1999 these farms comprised almost a quarter of all active farms.

The greatest decline in the number of farms in the last 10 years has been in the Agder counties and in Telemark, where the number of holdings has dropped by 36-40 per cent. In Northern Norway the decline has been 30 per cent. The smallest decrease in the number of farms has occurred in the premier agricultural counties of Rogaland and Nord-Trøndelag, with a decline of around 18 per cent.

The average size of the farms has increased from 100 decares in 1989 to 145 decares in 1999. Since 1989 the size of farms has increased the most in Akershus, Hedmark and Finnmark, by 69, 63 and 63 decares respectively. Today the largest average holdings are in Akershus (230 decares) and in Østfold (211 decares).

Increase in agricultural area

In 1999, 10.4 million decares of agricultural land were in use, an increase of almost 0.5 million decares since 1989. The results show that agricultural land on farms where farming has ceased is taken over by the remaining farms.

Hedmark and Oppland have the most agricultural land, with just over 1 million decares. Rogaland has just under one million decares in use and was also the county with the most pronounced increase in agricultural land, at 14 per cent or just over 140 000 decares. The agricultural land increase in Nordland and Troms was also more than 10 per cent.

In Østfold, Akershus and Vestfold agricultural land is almost unchanged, or shows a slight decline since 1989.

Use of agricultural land

Surface-cultivated meadowland or other infield pastureland has increased by 400 000 decares since 1989. Much of the increase can be explained by the land requirements for manure-spreading and the restructuring of subsidy rules (read more about this in "About the Census of Agriculture"). In the same period the farmland used for raising small grains and oil crops for harvest has declined by five per cent to 3.3 million decares. Of the various types of grain, wheat growing increased by around 30 per cent, while the area planted with oats has declined correspondingly. Farming conditions in the individual years have a major bearing on crop selection, but the results of recent years show that wheat planting has in fact increased. Potato cropland has dropped by just over 20 per cent, and was in 1999 just under 150 000 decares.

The area planted with other crops is small, and shows small changes. Strawberry cropland has increased from 14 200 to 16 400 decares while fruit growing has dropped from 38 000 decares to 28 000 decares. Vegetable cropland is about unchanged at just under 60 000 decares.

Livestock

In 1999, there were 22 600 dairy farms with a total of 312 000 cows. Since 1989 nearly one in four milk producers has ceased milk production. Farms with the fewest cows are the ones that are disappearing, and the average herd has increased from 11.7 cows in 1989 to 13.8 cows in 1999.

As with milk cows, the number of holdings with sheep has declined sharply. One in five sheep farmers has stopped raising sheep since 1989, while the number of sheep over one year has increased by 50 000 to 950 000. The smallest sheep producers have quit, and the number of holdings with fewer than 20 sheep has been almost cut in half.

The number of holdings with breeding pigs has declined by around 30 per cent in the last 10 years, while the number of breeding pigs has increased by almost 20 per cent. As with sheep and cows, the number of small holdings has declined, while holdings with 30 or more breeding pigs have increased sharply.

Tables

• Table 1 Number of holdings, by size of agricultural area in use and county. 1969, 1979, 1989 and 1999
• Table 2 Agricultural area in use, by use, county and size of holding. 1969, 1979, 1989 og 1999. Decares
• Table 3 Number of animals, by county and agricultural area in use. 1969, 1979, 1989 and 1999
• Table 4 Number of holdings with dairy cows, by number of cows, county and size of holding. 1969, 1979, 1989 and 1999
• Table 5 Number of holdings with sheep one year and over, by number of sheep, county and size of holding. 1969, 1979, 1989 and 1999
• Table 6 Number of breeding pigs, by number of pigs, county and size of holding. 1969, 1979, 1989 og 1999.
• Table 7 Municipalities with largest holdings. 1999
• Table 8 Municipalities with most holdings 1999, changes since 1989
• Table 9 Municipalities with largest agricultural area in use 1999, changes since 1989. Decares