Agricultural Census 2020
Finland, 2020 - 2021
Get MicrodataIdentification
FIN_2020_MA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS
Agricultural Census 2020
MA 2020
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Finland | FIN |
Agricultural Census [ag/census]
The first Agricultural Census (MA) in Finland was conducted in 1910. The country participated in all WCA rounds. MAs were carried out in 1929/1930, 1950, 1959, 1969/1970, 1980, 1990, 1999/2000, 2010, and 2020.
The Agricultural Census (MA) is a census of all agricultural holdings that takes place every ten years. It is part of an EU-wide programme of agricultural censuses carried out in 2020 under EU Regulation 2018/1091 on integrated farm statistics and conducted under the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture (https://www.fao.org/world-census-agriculture/en/). The purpose of the MA 2020 is to compile statistics on the structure of all agricultural holdings providing the general characteristics of farms and farmers and information on their land, livestock, and labor force. Further, the data collected also describes production methods, rural development measures, and agro-environmental aspects that look at the impact of agriculture on the environment.
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Agricultural holdings
Scope
The census scope covered agricultural (crop and livestock production) activities.
Coverage
The Agricultural Census (MA) 2020 covered the entire country.
The statistical unit was the agricultural holding, defined as a single unit, both technically and economically, that has a single management and that undertakes economic activities in agriculture in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006 belonging to groups A.01.1, A.01.2, A.01.3, A.01.4, A.01.5 or to the "maintenance of agricultural land in good agricultural and environmental condition" of group A.01.6 within the economic territory of the Union, either as its primary or secondary activity, as it is stated in the Regulation (EU) No. 2018/1091 of the European Parliament and of the Council on integrated agricultural statistics. Regarding activities of class A.01.49, only the activities "Raising and breeding of semi-domesticated or other live animals"(except for raising of insects) and "Bee-keeping and production of honey and beeswax" were included.
The Agricultural Census (MA) 2020 covered agricultural holdings that met the cut-off threshold of a standard output of at least EUR 2000.
Producers and sponsors
| Name |
|---|
| Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland (Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö), Natural Resource Institute Finland (Luonnonvarakeskus, Luke) |
Sampling
The Agricultural Census (MA) 2020 comprised a core module and three thematic modules on labor force and other gainful activities, rural development, and animal housing and manure management. Some census data for the core module, and all census data related to the thematic module on rural development were collected directly from administrative registers. The list frame used in the MA 2020 was the statistical register of agricultural and horticultural enterprises which is updated annually.
The MA 2020 used a combination of complete and sample enumeration. The core and the rural development modules were collected using complete enumeration, while data for the supplementary thematic modules referred to labor force and other gainful activities, and animal housing and manure management were collected using sample enumeration.
In the MA 2020, the sample for all modules was selected using a stratified one-stage random sampling. The stratification variables were unit location (NUTS 3), unit size (five classes), and unit specialization (ten classes).
Specifically, the five classes for the unit size are:
- 2000 - 25 000
- 25 000 - 50 000
- 50 000 - 100 000
- 100 000 - 250 000
- 250 000 - 99999999999
Whereas the ten classes for unit specialization are:
- Cereals production and other plant production
- Greenhouse production
- Outdoor production
- Milk production
- Beef production
- Other cattle husbandry
- Pig husbandry
- Poultry husbandry
- Other grazing livestock
- Mixed production
For the module on labor force and other gainful activities, there was one full coverage stratum, and for the module on animal housing and manure management, there were 162 full coverage strata including 339 holdings. There were 773 strata with 45 630 holdings. The sample was allocated using proportional and Neyman allocation. The allocation variable was the economic size of the farm. This allocation method resulted in a sample drawn randomly yet evenly from all over Finland, and in such a way that the sampling ratio increased with farm size. For livestock farms, the sampling ratio was greater than for farms engaged in crop production, as variances in economic size for livestock farms were greater than for farms engaged in crop production. SAS was used to select samples.
The reported response rate was 88 percent.
Survey instrument
One questionnaire was used in the MA 2020. All 23 essential items recommended in the WCA 2020 were covered by the questionnaire and by administrative registers.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2020-12 | 2021-04 |
Reference day: 1 April 2020, for livestock and animal housing
Reference periods:
- from 1 January to 31 December 2020, for land variables, irrigation and soil management practices, manure management, labor, and land use
- from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020, for rural development measures
- Computer Assisted Web Interview [cawi], Computer Assisted Telephone Interview [cati]
The Agricultural Census (MA) 2020 involved four supervisors and eight staff from the project group. A subcontractor developed the IT-system.
In the MA 2020, data was collected using CATI and CAWI methods, according to the decision of the holder. Census data were also collected directly from administrative registers to reduce the response burden. The following administrative registers were used for data collection: Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), bovine register, organic farming register, genetically modified crops register, rural development measures, sheep and goat register, pig register, The Register of Completed Education and Degrees (Statistics Finland), Finnish Farmers" Social Insurance Institution (Mela), and Incomes Register (Finnish Tax Administration).
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Although there was no quality management system, some procedures were carried out to ensure and assess quality such as training courses and the use of best practices. Sampling errors were estimated using the CLAN software developed by Statistics Sweden. Several actions were carried out to minimize non-sampling errors in the MA 2020: pre-testing questionnaire and training of enumerators to minimize measurement errors. There was no coverage error since the agricultural and horticultural statistical register is updated annually.
Data processing
Data editing information is not available.
DATA PROCESSING NOTES
Direct data capture was ensured by the CAWI and CATI method. Staff from central department validate data using SAS and Eurostat's validation through eDamis. Almost all variables were collected from administrative registers. The core variable working hours by farm manager was collected through the questionnaire and was imputed using the sequential hot deck method. Processing errors were minimized using cross check of results to earlier figures. Statistical department used SAS and only staff in the Statistical department were allowed to make corrections. Results were estimated using SAS.
Data Access
The data request procedure and the data request form are available at "How to apply for microdata access?" at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/microdata/farm-statistics.
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Resource Institute Finland (Luke) | Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland | [email protected] | http://stat.luke.fi/en |
Metadata production
DDI_FIN_2020_MA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS_FAO
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Resource Institute Finland | Luke | Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland | Metadata producer |
| Statistics Division | ESS | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Metadata adapted for FAM |