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EXPLANATORY NOTES


INTRODUCTION

1 This publication presents preliminary estimates of principal agricultural commodities and livestock numbers for the 2009-10 season, and comparative data for the previous two years. The preliminary estimates are based on data collected in the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS).

2 The ARMS and the Agricultural Survey are conducted in alternate years, with an Agricultural Census conducted every five years.

3 The ARMS collects less detail on crops, livestock and other agricultural commodities compared to the Agricultural Survey and Agricultural Census. Table 2 of this publication reflects this reduction in commodity data in a less detailed range of livestock estimates.

4 Additional commodity estimates from the 2009-10 ARMS will be published in Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7121.0) in April 2011. In addition, the ARMS collects a range of detailed information in respect of land management practices and farmers' responses to adverse seasonal conditions. These data will be released in Land Management and Farming in Australia (cat. no. 6427.0) in June 2011.

5 The estimates for 2007-08 and 2008-09 are final national estimates for principal agricultural commodities and livestock numbers collected in the 2007-08 ARMS and the 2008-09 Agricultural Survey. Estimates for 2009-10 are preliminary and may be subject to revision.


GENERAL

6 Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.


SCOPE AND COVERAGE

7 Estimates in this publication are based on information obtained from the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) for the year ended 30 June 2010.

8 The scope of the 2009-10 ARMS was all agricultural businesses recorded on the ABS' Business Register (ABSBR) above a minimum size cutoff. The ABSBR is based on the Australian Business Register (ABR) which is administered and maintained by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

9 A minimum size cut-off of $5,000 was applied to determine whether a business was in-scope for the 2009-10 ARMS. The measure of size was based on the ABS' Estimated Value of Agricultural Operations (EVAO) or a derived value based on Businesses Activity Statement (BAS) turnover.

10 While the ABSBR does not include all agricultural businesses in Australia, it provides improved coverage from the former ABS-maintained Agricultural Survey frame as most businesses and organisations in Australia need to obtain an Australian Business Number (ABN) from the ATO for their business operations. The ABR-based register is also more up-to-date as it excludes agricultural businesses with cancelled ABNs and incorporates regularly updated information on agricultural businesses from the ATO.

11 The 2009-10 preliminary estimates are based on a response rate of 84% from a sample of 38,000 agricultural businesses selected for the 2009-10 ARMS.


RELIABILITY OF ESTIMATES (SAMPLE ERROR)

12 The estimates in this publication are based on information obtained from a sample drawn from the total population of agricultural businesses in scope of the collection, and are subject to sampling variability; that is, they may differ from the figures that would have been produced if all agricultural businesses had been included in the ARMS. One measure of the likely difference is given by the standard error (SE), which indicates the extent to which an estimate might vary by chance because only a sample was taken. There are about two chances in three that a 'sample' estimate will differ by less than one SE from the figure that would have been obtained if all farms had been included, and about nineteen chances in twenty that the difference will be less than two SEs.

13 In this publication, 'sampling' variability of the estimates is measured by the relative standard error (RSE) which is obtained by expressing the SE as a percentage of the estimate to which it refers.

14 Most published estimates have RSEs less than 5%. For some states with limited production of certain commodities, RSEs are greater than 10%. Estimates that have an estimated RSE between 10% and 25% are annotated with the symbol '^'. These estimates should be used with caution as they are subject to sampling variability too high for some purposes. Estimates with an RSE between 25% and 50% are annotated with the symbol '*', indicating that the estimate should be used with caution as it is subject to sampling error too high for most practical purposes. Estimates with an RSE greater than 50% are annotated with the symbol '**', indicating that the sampling variability causes the estimates to be considered too unreliable for general use. Separate indication of the RSEs of all estimates is available on request.

15 A table with RSEs for the principal commodities in this publication follows:

RELATIVE STANDARD ERRORS OF SELECTED ESTIMATES - year ended 30 June 2010
	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT	Aust.
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Barley for grain - Production (t)	12.1	4.7	8.1	2.8	4.7	5.7	-	-	2.9
Canola - Production (t)	5.5	11.4	69.0	6.1	6.1	2.0	-	-	4.1
Cotton lint - Production (t)	13.1	-	5.3	-	-	-	-	-	8.2
Grain sorghum - Production (t)	10.8	-	6.6	-	-	-	-	-	5.7
Lupins for grain - Production (t)	10.6	17.8	43.7	6.7	5.1	25.4	-	-	4.4
Oats for grain - Production (t)	8.2	10.6	27.9	9.3	7.3	6.7	-	46.2	4.3
Rice for grain - Production (t)	5.5	68.5	11.2	-	-	-	-	-	5.5
Sugar cane cut for crushing - Production (t)	13.4	-	4.1	-	-	-	-	-	4.0
Wheat for grain - Production (t)	3.7	5.0	10.0	2.6	2.9	5.5	-	38.8	1.9
Total milk cattle (no.)	9.5	5.4	8.1	9.2	11.1	5.4	39.5	23.6	3.7
Total meat cattle (no.)	3.8	5.1	3.5	4.6	6.5	6.8	2.9	42.3	1.8
Total sheep and lambs (no.)	3.7	6.2	9.9	4.1	4.2	3.2	47.4	11.7	2.1
Total pigs (no.)	20.3	9.8	6.1	8.9	7.1	9.0	18.9	-	6.8
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

• Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7121.0)
• Australian Wine and Grape Industry (cat. no. 1329.0)
• Vineyards Estimates, Australia (cat. no. 1329.0.55.002)
• Livestock and Meat, Australia (cat. no. 7218.0.55.001)
• Livestock Products, Australia (cat. no. 7215.0)
• Value of Principal Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 7501.0)
• Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia (cat. no. 7503.0)
• Water Use on Australian Farms, Australia (cat. no. 4618.0)
• Land Management and Farming in Australia (cat. no. 4627.0)
• Wheat Use and Stocks, Australia (cat. no. 7307.0)
• Stocks of Grain Held by Bulk Handling Companies and Grain Traders, Australia (cat. no. 7122.55.001)