7105.0.55.003 - National Agricultural Statistics Review - Preliminary findings, 2013-14  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/03/2014  First Issue
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Agricultural statistical assets underpinning the enduring goals
In addition to providing feedback on the relevance of the proposed enduring goals and data themes of the NASIS, stakeholders provided information regarding:


    · what data or information they are using to inform each theme and goal

    · who the producers and/or custodians of this data or information are

This "stocktake" of agricultural statistical assets by stakeholders in the NASIS extends beyond official statistics, which are those collected and produced by Australian and State/Territory governments and agencies. The NASIS also considered statistical assets collected and produced by non-government organisations including data, information, statistics or other knowledge that can be used to provide insights into agricultural activity. For example:

    · surveys

    · commissioned research

    · reports containing information, data or statistics

    · administrative data

    · datasets residing in any agency's databases

    · data and statistics


Stakeholders who contributed detailed public submissions provided information about the statistical assets they were using. Additionally, inputs from consultation within the Department of Agriculture including ABARES provided an increased understanding of how agricultural statistical assets are being used to inform Australian agriculture.

A total of 283 distinct statistical assets were reported as currently being used by stakeholders who contributed to the NASR to inform the enduring goals for Australian agriculture. To obtain this list of statistical assets, repeated mentions of assets were eliminated (e.g. those assets being used by more than one stakeholder), and data derived from the same data collection or same data product were grouped into a single statistical asset (and given a standard asset title).

Table 1 provides a breakdown of the number of statistical assets currently being used by stakeholders according to each of the enduring goals. Comparisons can be made between the use of statistical assets by stakeholders who contributed a public submission, compared with the Department of Agriculture including ABARES.


Table 1: Agricultural statistical assets currently being used to inform the enduring goals for Australian agriculture

Enduring goals for Australian agriculture
Number of agricultural statistical assets identified as being used by stakeholders
Public submissions
Department of Agriculture including ABARES
      Goal 1: Competitive and profitable agricultural sector
69
98
      Goal 2: Prosperous communities
5
17
      Goal 3: Sustainable natural resource use
10
52
      Goal 4: Growing trade and market access
13
19
      Goal 5: Protecting animal, plant and human health and welfare
4
22
Note: The number of statistical assets is based only on the information provided to the NASR. Department of Agriculture including ABARES statistical asset identification is for comparison only.

A larger number of statistical assets were reported as being used to inform Goal 1 than for any other enduring goal. This reflects a focus of data collections and data use on commodity production volumes and value for agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Of the agricultural statistical assets being used by stakeholders of the NASIS, the top ten assets most frequently reported as being used are produced by either the ABS or ABARES (refer to Table 2).


Table 2: Statistical assets most frequently reported as being used

Agricultural statistical asset
Producer
Number of public submissions reporting use of the statistical asset
Agricultural Commodities
ABS
11
Agricultural Commodity Statistics
ABARES
10
Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced
ABS
10
Livestock Products
ABS
8
Agricultural Census and Agricultural Survey
ABS
8
Australian Farm Surveys
ABARES
7
Census of Population and Housing
ABS
5
Consumer Price Index
ABS
3
Australian Wine and Grape Industry
ABS
3
Australian Forest and Wood Products Statistics
ABARES
3
Note: Each public submission represents a stakeholder using the agricultural statistical asset. For this table, the Department of Agriculture including ABARES was counted as one stakeholder. Where the same agricultural statistical asset was reported as being used by a stakeholder more than once, only the first count was included.