STREAMLINING BUREAUCRACY JUNE CENSUS & SINGLE APPLICATION FORM

1. STREAMLINING BUREAUCRACYJUNE CENSUS & SINGLE APPLICATION FORM Adam Krawczyk, RERAD 4th November 2008

2. Purpose • Overview of findings from : ‘Research study to assess to what extent data from the Single Application Form could be used to meet the statistical requirements of the June Agricultural Census’. Carried out by SAC & MI • Initial thoughts on the interpretation of research findings. • Recommendations. • Proposals for 2009 SAF and June Census

3. Research Project • Metadata analysis to show the overlap in questions between the June Census (JAC) and SAF, including definitional differences. • Analysis of SAF coverage of June Census holdings, area and agricultural activity. • Linkage of individual holding/business records between June Census & SAF, to illustrate how results compared for each question. • Comparison of aggregate results. • Description of operation issues, timetables, requirements and outputs from June Census and SAF.

4. Metadata Analysis

6. Metadata Summary (2007) • Crops - direct match for most questions, JAC more stockfeeding categories • Grass - JAC distinguishes between mowing & grazing • Vegetables - more detail on JAC • Soft Fruit - more detail on SAF • Bulbs, Flowers & Nursery Stock - more detail on JAC • Glasshouses & Protected Crops - only collected on JAC • Pigs - 13 JAC categories, SAF just indoor/outdoor • Cattle - 22 JAC categories, 4 on SAF • Poultry - 11 JAC categories, SAF total only • Sheep - 13 JAC categories, 3 on SAF • Other Livestock - more detail on Goats & Horses on JAC, less on Deer • Cattle, Sheep & Other Livestock - SAF excludes animals < 6 months old • Labour – No info on SAF • Tenancy Type – no info on SAF • Crofts – some info on both JAC & SAF

7. Metadata Analysis. Issues to consider : • Whether we require current level of detail collected on the June Census ? • Whether extensive changes to questions would be palatable to farmers submitting the SAF ? eg distinguishing between grassland used for mowing/grazing • Whether it is actually worthwhile adding new questions to SAF, which do not result in a net reduction in data collection, ie labour, tenure, glasshouses & protected crops ? • Alternative streamlining developments such as the use of BCMS data for cattle statistics could remove the need to collect the detail on SAF and Census

8. Definitional Differences : Areas • JAC asks respondents to record crops (grown by others) on land that is seasonally rented out, whereas SAF does not. • SAF allocates common grazing land between holdings, JAC does not. • Total holding area, wrt roads, buildings, other land ...etc Livestock • SAF asks for the number of livestock on a holding, whereas the JAC asks for livestock owned or hired, even if located elsewhere. • Seasonal tenants with no permanent holding of their own will not have their livestock recorded on June Census. • SAF has a livestock reference date of March compared to June on JAC. • SAF collects data aggregated at the business level only.

9. Definitions & Concepts. Issues to consider: • Whether it would be feasible to ask SAF applicants to report the activity of others on land seasonally rented out? – Included in 2009 Proposals • The implications of switching to holding areas recorded on SAF, rather than using the June Census register, which is part of the Corporate Data Model? – Not for 2009, more consideration required. • Whether a common definition on how livestock is recorded can be reached to meet both the needs of both the June Census and SAF ? – Focus on BCMS data for June Census needs. • How far the SAF livestock reference date can be moved forward, to converge with the statistical requirements? – Focus on BCMS • Whether we are willing to implement the collection of SAF data at the holding level for livestock – which is required by a range of stakeholders including those involved in disease modelling ? – Focus on BCMS

10. Comparison of JAC and SAF holdings/businesses

12. SAF Coverage. Issues to consider: To what extent do we need to collect information from non-SAF holdings ?- Review statistical needs and needs of other stakeholders

18. Recommendations • To develop land use information collected through the Single Application Form, leading to a reduction in information gathered on the 2009 June Agricultural Census. • To pursue the use of data from the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS), in order to reduce the cattle information gathered on the June Agricultural Census and December Agricultural Survey, after 2009 • To pursue other sources of administrative data and to review the remainder of June Agricultural Census after 2009.

19. Proposals • To ask the owner occupiers and long term tenants to report activity on land rented out seasonally and farmed by others. • To introduce a double coding for the “Other Land” Column of the IACS(3) form, eg 'LLO-WPOT' would record ware potatoes grown on land rented out seasonally. • To drop the June Census question relating to the intended harvest date of ware potatoes and use the existing SAF crop codes. • To drop the June Census distinction between grassland used for mowing and grazing. • Add SAF codes for a number of specific Vegetables, Fodder Root Crops and Strawberries. Plus new codes for industrial Oilseed Rape and Hops. • Review the need for detailed questions on Bulbs & Flowers and Hardy Nursery Stock Grown in the open.

20. 2009 June Census Forms – Proposals • To send a shortened version, excluding all the land use information that can be collected from SAF, to SAF applicants. This version will still include questions on : - total holding areas - ownership and rental agreements, - glasshouses and protected crops - livestock - labour - miscellaneous questions • To send a full June Census form, including all the land use questions, to non-SAF applicants. Still keeping distinction between Main and Minor holdings.

21. Consultation on 2009 SAF-Census Proposals • Scotstat Agriculture Committee (4th Nov’08) • Members of Scotstat Agriculture Register & other external stakeholders • NFUS Combinable Crop Committee (4th Nov) • NFUS Legal & Technical Group (11th Nov) • 50 Farmers Directly (showing large recorded differences between 2007 SAF & June Census) • SG Internal Stakeholders • UK Agricultural Departments (Statistical Network).