Agricultural Census 2015-2016
AC 2015-16
Australia, 2016
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AUS_2015-2016_AC_v01_M_v01_A_ESS
Agricultural Census 2015-2016
AC 2015-16
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Australia | AUS |
Agricultural Census [ag/census]
Australia has collected agricultural commodity data since the 1860s. The Agricultural Census (AC) was conducted annually at the end of March each year, until 1996/1997. From then, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) changed the collection period to 30 June to ensure better alignment with other ABS surveys. The current strategy envisages a five-year interval census with sample surveys in inter-censual years. Subsequent ACs have been conducted on a quinquennial basis since 2000/2001.
The cut-off threshold has been changed since this agricultural census (see Universe), as such the estimates from the AC 2015/2016 onwards will not be directly comparable to the previously published estimates.
The main purpose of the Agricultural Census (AC) is to provide benchmark information on the agriculture industry for small geographic areas. Furthermore, it is designed to support decision making and analysis by a wide variety of stakeholders across government, industry, the research sector and wider community by providing comprehensive high quality agricultural commodity production and activity data (including area and production for crops and area irrigated, number of livestock and number of producers for each commodity) at low levels of geographic disaggregation. The AC also enables updates to core statistical infrastructure as well as being the major source of commodity data used in the calculation of Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced (VACP), which is used as an input to the Australian National Accounts. Outputs from the AC include statistics on land and water use, crop and horticultural area and production, livestock numbers and farm management and demographic information undertaken by businesses in Australia, while data is produced at national, state, and sub-state levels.
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Agricultural holdings
Scope
The census scope covered agricultural activities (crop and livestock production).
The questionnaire aimed to collect information on several areas:
- Business Details
- Land Details
- Livestock: livestock and poultry inventory
- Horticulture: vegetables, fruits and/or nuts for sale
- Nurseries, Cut Flowers, and Cultivated Turf
- Cereals and Other Crops
- Water for Agricultural Production (including livestock)
- Pasture and Crop Cultivation
- Crop Management
- Fertilizer
- Farm Management
- Future Intentions: pertaining continuing the use of the agricultural property
Coverage
The AC 2015/2016 covered the entire territory of Australia.
The statistical unit for the AC 2015/2016, was a "business", identified by its Australian Business Number (ABN), and a geographic split was applied for ABNs operating over multiple locations. Units were identified as undertaking agricultural activity if any of the primary or secondary productive activities of those businesses fall within the Agriculture Subdivision (Subdivision 01), as defined by the 2006 edition of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC).
The coverage of the AC 2015/2016 included all businesses undertaking agricultural activity recorded on the ABS Business Register with size above the cut-off of AUD 40 000. The measure of size was based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimated Value of Agricultural Operations (EVAO). Note that for previous ABS Rural Environment and Agricultural Collections a scope of EVAO of $5,000 or greater was used. The change in scope better aligns this collection with contemporary definitions of an agricultural business and reduces the overall reporting load for smaller agricultural businesses.
Producers and sponsors
| Name |
|---|
| Treasury Portfolio of the Australian Government, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) |
Sampling
The AC 2015/2016 was conducted through complete enumeration of agricultural businesses listed on the ABS Business Register (ABSBR) that met the cut-off threshold.
The frame used for the AC 2015/2016 was drawn from the ABSBR, which is based on the Australian Business Register (ABR). Businesses and organizations are included on the ABR when they register with the Australian Taxation Office for an Australian Business Number (ABN). The ABSBR has been used for ABS agricultural collections since 2005/2006.
The frame used for the census was stratified into businesses by size (EVAO), type of agricultural activity (ANZSIC 2006) and location. The stratification allowed for weighting of strata to compensate for non-response.
Survey instrument
Data was collected using one single questionnaire. The AC 2015/2016 covered 13 out of the 23 essential items recommended in the WCA 2020.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2016-07 | 2016-11 |
Reference day: 30 June 2016 for inventory items such as the total area of holdings owned or operated and the number of livestock on the holding.
Reference period: the agricultural year (1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016) for crop production, land management practices and water use, etc.
- Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI)
The AC 2015/2016 used an online web-based form (e-form) and for respondents unable to access or use this option a traditional mail out/mail back paper collection instrument was dispatched. The computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) method was also used on a limited basis for data collection by telephone. As such, enumerators and/or field staff were not required.
Paper forms were dispatched to all in-scope agricultural businesses. Forms were returned to the ABS using reply-paid (postage paid) envelopes. Included with the form was a cover letter outlining the AC 2015/2016, as well as details that enabled an alternate mode of response to be provided - specifically, via a web form (using Computer-assisted Web Interviewing, or CAWI) with some of the basic information pre-filled.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
The accuracy of estimates was assured through coherence between earlier years' estimates and relevant other sources. The main measure of accuracy of estimates from the AC 2015/2016 was indicated by calculating relative standard errors, calculated by dividing the standard error of the estimate by the estimate itself, which were assigned to each estimate produced and released.
Data processing
Final estimates from the AC 2015/2016 were not revised as a result of any reconciliation processes.
DATA PROCESSING NOTES
The ABS distributed statistical processing activities across specialist processing and support areas located in a number of Australian state offices of the ABS. Paper questionnaires were processed using optical character recognition (OCR) to extract data. Whereas, direct data capture was ensured by the CAWI method.
A range of SAS-based tools (programs, projects and code) was used to interrogate estimates and identify anomalies, either at the unit (micro) or estimate (macro) level. Editing of unit-level data was undertaken via the Blaise/Editors Tool Kit (ETK). ABS imputation and estimation processes used SAS-based projects (software) with ABS-developed interfaces allowing for setup and operations.
Data Access
For general inquiries, or inquiries related to microdata access contact ABS:
Call in Australia: 1300 135 070
Outside Australia: +61 2 92 684 909
Fill the form at: https://www.abs.gov.au/about/general-enquiry-form
Responsible use of ABS microdata:
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/microdata-tablebuilder/responsible-use-abs-microdata
Conditions of use of DataLab available at:
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/microdata-tablebuilder/datalab/conditions-use
DATA AND METADATA ARCHIVING
Unit record data (microdata) and metadata are retained for the three most recent ACs in accordance with the ABS' data retention policies. Data and metadata are stored on secured Oracle databases with access limited to officers within the AC workgroup. Unit record data for earlier ACs are deleted with only the aggregated estimates retained indefinitely.
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) | Treasury Portfolio of the Australian Government | agriculture.statistics@abs.gov.au | http://www.abs.gov.au/contact |
Metadata production
DDI_AUS_2015-2016_AC_v01_M_v01_A_ESS_FAO
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Bureau of Statistics | Treasury Portfolio of the Australian Government | Metadata producer | |
| Statistics Division | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Metadata adapted for FAM | |
| Development Data Group | DECDG | World Bank Group | Metadata adapted for World Bank Microdata Library |
Metadata version
Identical to a metadata (AUS_2015_2016_AC_v01_M_v01_A_ESS) published on FAO microdata repository (https://microdata.fao.org/index.php/catalog). Some of the metadata fields have been edited.