DDI_LVA_2005_FSS_v01_M_WB Development Economics Data Group 2013-10-10 NADA Version 01 (October 2013) Farm Structure Survey 2005 FSS 2005 LVA_2005_FSS_v01_M Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Eurostat NADA Anita Raubena/Departamenta Direktora Vietnieks Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia Microdata Library Agricultural Survey [ag/oth] The first Farm Structure Survey in accordance to the requirements of EP Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 was carried out in 2001 in the form of census. The list of indicators included in the survey was formed in accordance to the EU requirements and needs of national users. Before that Agricultural Census was carried out in 1939, but results of this census were not completely compiled due to the war. Information acquired in the Agricultural Census of 2001 was essential for national needs. In this Census basic information on the number of agricultural farms, their size, structure and economic activities was obtained. This information served as base for the creation of farm concept in the Statistical Farm Register, which was built up at household level in 1999. After Agricultural Census, Farm Structure Surveys are carried out every second year. The main target of the Farm Structure Surveys is to obtain information on structure and types of agricultural farms and their agricultural activities in Latvia in accordance with the EU and national requirements. The information obtained in the FSS survey is very important also for the local users, for analysis of the situation in agriculture of Latvia, and to draw up its development trends. In 2003 and 2005 Latvia organized FSS surveys similar to other EU Member States. All individual data files and methodological descriptions of FSS were sent to Eurostat. The main target of the FSS 2005 was to obtain information about structure and typology of the agricultural farms and their agricultural activities in Latvia in accordance with EU and national requirements. Latvia National Farms All economically active farms - farms, which produce agricultural production, were involved in the target population for the FSS 2005. The definition of a holding is in line with the EU Farm Structure Survey definition. Agricultural holding is a single unit both technically and economically, which has a single management and the output of which is agricultural production. The holding may also provide other supplementary (non-agricultural) products and services. Sample survey data [ssd] The scope of the FSS 2005 includes the following: · General description of the farm and holder (user) · Land use · Utilisation of arable land · Number of livestock and poultry · Stock of agricultural machines · Farm storage facilities of manure and irrigation devices · Farm labour force, permanent and temporary · Rural development Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia The survey was carried out using a combination of exhaustive and sample methods. The previous fullscale agricultural census was conducted in 2001. The target population was all economically active farms which produce agricultural products; indeed some holdings may provide other supplementary (non-agricultural) products and services. These holdings are included in the regularly updated statistical farm register. The frame was stratified by activity (active, non-active and new or unobserved units), location (NUTS4 level), by economic size (4 categories of ESU for active farms, 7 categories in UAA for other ones) and by type of farming (3 groups; only for active farms). For non-active farms owned by natural person a 10 hectare agricultural land threshold was applied. In practice all holdings have an economic size of at least 2 ESU and units with specific processes in production were included, while from the other strata sample was drawn randomly. Altogether 60 thousand holdings were chosen to be surveyed. For each activity (`enterprise`) on a farm (for instance wheat, dairy cow or vineyard), a standard gross margin (SGM) is estimated, based on the area (or the number of heads) and a regional coefficient. The sum of such margins in a farm is its economic size, expressed in European Size Units (ESU). 1 ESU is equal to 1200 euros. Each farm is classified in the community typology by its economic size and its type of farming, depending on the share of each enterprise in its economic size. For instance, a farm where breeding sows account for more than 2/3 of the economic size is classified as specialist pig rearing (type 5011). Depending on the level of aggregation, farms are grouped into 8 to 70 types. Face-to-face [f2f] Annual work unit (AWU) is equivalent to a worker employed on a full time basis for one year. In Latvia it is 1800 hours (225 working days of 8 working hours per day). Livestock Unit (LU) is equivalent to a dairy cow. The number of animals (number of heads) is converted into LU using a set of coefficients reflecting the feed requirements of the different animal categories. Subsistence farming refers here to all farms below 1 ESU economic size. Note that the number of farms cannot be compared between countries due to the differences in coverage of FSS. Confidentiality of the information provided by respondents is protected by Section 18 of the Official Statistics Law stipulating rights and obligations of the Central Statistical Bureau and other state authorities producing official statistics.Section 19 of the Official Statistics Law determines confidentiality exceptions. Central Statistical Bureau Use of the dataset must be acknowledged using a citation which would include: - the Identification of the Primary Investigator - the title of the survey (including country, acronym and year of implementation) - the survey reference number - the source and date of download The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.