AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT STATISTICS

Final estimates from the 2005-06 Agricultural Census are now being released – products include:

• Agricultural Commodities, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 7121.0), containing final estimates from the Agricultural Census at state level and for the Murray-Darling basin.
  
• Agricultural Commodities: Small Area Data, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 7125.0) released 7 March. These spreadsheets contain all data collected in the Agricultural Census (excluding water) for state, Statistical Division (SD) and Natural Resource Management (NRM) regions. Major data items for Statistical Local Area (SLA) levels are also included.

• Water Use on Australian Farms, 2005-06 (cat. no. 4618.0) released 13 March, containing final estimates from the Agricultural Census on water use by agriculture. Key features of this publication include:
  - estimates for key pastures and crops irrigated at the national and state levels and for the Murray-Darling basin.
  - summary of irrigation activity at the national, state, Statistical Division, Drainage Division and NRM region levels.
  - sources of water for agricultural use will be published nationally and by state.
  
  In addition, datacubes will be released in late March for key pastures and crops irrigated at the Drainage Division and NRM region levels, and a summary of irrigation activity at the Statistical Local Area (SLA) and River Basin levels.

The ABS also plans to release other sub-state geographic level data from the 2005-06 Agricultural Census in the coming months. These will include data for the Murray-Darling basin by state.

Publications from the 2006-07 Agricultural Survey include:

• Principal Agricultural Commodities, Australia, Preliminary, 2006-07 (cat. no. 7111.0). This first release from the agricultural survey for the year ending 30 June 2007 included area and production for principal agricultural commodities, and livestock numbers, at the state level.
  
• Agricultural Commodities, 2006-07 (cat. no. 7121.0) released 28 May. This publication will contain final estimates from the agricultural survey. It will be supported by the release of spreadsheets in Agricultural Commodities: Small Area Data, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 7125.0), which will contain all data collected in the survey (excluding water) for state, Statistical Division (SD) and Natural Resource Management (NRM) regions.

Two value of production publications include:

• Value of Principal Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, Preliminary, 2006-07 (cat. no. 7501.0). It contains first estimates of the gross value of production of selected crops, livestock slaughterings and livestock products at the state level.

• Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, 2005-06 (cat. no. 7503.0) released 8 May. It will contain final estimates at the state level.

The following recently released publications also provide state based data on agriculture and the environment:

• Natural Resource Management on Australian Farms, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4620.0), provides state level data on natural resource management issues, activities and costs on Australian Farms, focusing on weeds, pests, land and soil, native vegetation and water.

• Australia's Environment: Issues and Trends, 2007 (cat. no. 4613.0), presents a broad selection of environmental statistics on topical environmental issues.

Customised services

The ABS can customise a product to meet your specific policy, planning, research and commercial analysis needs. ABS consultants are experts in producing customised tables. For further information, call the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070. For agriculture statistics contact Linda Falzari on (03) 6222 5943 or email agriculture.statistics@abs.gov.au, and for environment statistics contact David Rankin on (03) 6222 5961 or email client.services@abs.gov.au.