Farm Incomes

Paul Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average income of individual farms and farm businesses was for those in the top and the bottom deciles in the past 12 months; and what the average percentage of total income subsidies represented in both groups. [129867]

Mr. Bradshaw
The average net farm income, output and subsidies received by farms in the top and bottom deciles in England in 2001–02 is given in the table: -------------------------------------
|                                   |
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|Net farm income                    |
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|Total farm output                  |
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|Total subsidies                    |
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|Subsidies as a percentage of output|
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Note:

These data refer to farms not subject to compulsory cull of livestock during the Foot and Mouth Disease crisis in 2001.

Source:

Farm Business Survey.

The table provides data only for farms with an economic size of at least eight European Size Units (ESUs), the minimum considered necessary to occupy a full time farmer. Although nearly half the farms in England fall below this size threshold, they account for only 2 per cent. of agricultural output.

Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their labour and on the tenant-type capital of the business.