§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she had made of the ability of hill farmers to diversify into other areas of business. [70371]
§ Alun MichaelThe Government recognise that all farms have their own set of individual circumstances which influence the scope for diversification and that the same approach will not be appropriate in all
1. Number of holdings classified as farm type dairy Government office region 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 North East region 325 285 275 251 215 North West region including Merseyside 4,241 4,058 3,904 3,630 2,983 Yorkshire and Humberside region 1,654 1,532 1,484 1,358 1,306 East Midlands region 1,336 1,273 1,226 1,122 1,156 West Midlands region 2,694 2,531 2,446 2,305 2,213 East of England region 250 239 231 203 215 South East region including Greater London 972 888 864 779 805 South West region 6,535 6,207 5,883 5,478 5,213 England 18,007 17,013 16,313 15,126 14,106
2. Number of holdings with any dairy cows Government office regions 1997 1995 1999 2000 2001 North East region 510 467 428 398 343 North West region including Merseyside 4,993 4,862 4,671 4,315 3,440 Yorkshire and Humberside region 2,340 2,248 2,129 1,983 1,814 East Midlands region 1,836 1,785 1,729 1,599 1,567 West Midlands region 3,354 3,261 3,124 2,936 2,768 East of England region 641 637 584 517 527 South East region including Greater London 1,518 1,500 1,431 1,350 1,321 South West region 7,740 7,556 7,230 6,819 6,345 England 22,932 22,316 21,326 19,917 18,125 Notes:
1. Holdings shown as of June each year, not 'opened' or 'closed'.
2. Table 1 shows holdings where dairy farming is the predominant activity.
3. Table 2 shows holdings which returned at least one dairy cow in the June Census.
4. A dairy cow is classed as any dairy cow or heifer that has calved.
5. All figures relate to main holdings only.
Source:
June Agricultural and Horticultural Census