Data and methodology

This data is collected via the annual June Agricultural Census of Scottish agricultural holdings and is run by the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) division of the Scottish Government.

The overall response rate to the June Agricultural Census 2026 based on number of returns as a percentage of holdings surveyed at time of publication was 57% compared with 55% in 2025. Data is also included from the Single Application Form (SAF) database and the Cattle Tracing System (CTS).

Full details of the census methodology are available in the methodology report.

The figures presented within the text and charts of this publication are rounded. For exact values, please refer to the accompanying data tables available in the supporting documents.

A time series of agricultural land use, livestock and labour statistics from the June Agricultural Census from 1982 is available. The RESAS Agricultural Statistics Hub also provides access to a variety of agricultural statistics and data visualisations.

Percentage changes, whether positive or negative, are rounded to one decimal place if they are between -10% and 10%, otherwise to zero decimal places.

Code relating to the production of our statistics can be requested from agric.stats@gov.scot.

Agricultural tenancy questions were removed from the agricultural census after 2021 due, in part, to concerns about data quality. Following research into agricultural tenancy data collection, a dedicated agricultural tenancy module was added to this year’s census. Before updated agricultural tenancy statistics can be published using data from the reintroduced tenancy questions, further analysis is needed to assess the quality of the data, understand its strengths and limitations, and determine how it can be linked with historical tenancy data.