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EXPLANATORY NOTES


INTRODUCTION

1 This publication contains final estimates for the main commodities collected in the 2004-05 Agricultural Survey and related Supplementary Collections (i.e. Apples and Pears Collection and Vineyards Collection). It contains detailed statistics on crops, livestock and livestock products and industry and size characteristics of farms.

GENERAL

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

SCOPE AND COVERAGE

3 Estimates of farm production are based on information obtained from the Agricultural Survey conducted at 30 June 2005. Prior to 1999-2000 information was obtained for the period ending 31 March. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) changed the collection period to 30 June to better align with other ABS surveys. A study of respondent data indicated that there should be no significant difference in estimates collected between the reference periods.

4 The scope of the 2004-05 Agricultural Survey is establishments undertaking agricultural activity with an estimated value of agricultural operations (EVAO) of $5,000 or more. This is the same as the scope for Agricultural Censuses from 1993-94 to 1996-97 and for 2000-01, and the Agricultural Surveys from 1997-98 to 1999-2000, and 2001-02 to 2003-2004. Prior to 1993-94 scope has varied and these details are available on request.

5 From 2005-06 the ABS will use the Australian Business Register as the main source of frames for its agricultural surveys. It is considered that this will give an improved level of coverage of the agricultural industry.

6 For the 2002-03 Agriculture Survey, a sub-sample of 28,000 units was selected from the sample of 35,000 farms selected in the previous year. This helped control the estimates of movement for that year which was particularly important given the impact of the drought. The sample for 2003-04 was expanded to 30,500 to cover sample loss due to units in the original selection having ceased farming and to reduce the sampling error of some estimates which were approaching or exceeding design parameters in the previous year.

7 The sample for the 2004-05 Agriculture Survey used the same 30,500 units selected for the 2003-04 survey. This provided reliable estimates of movements from the previous year and controlled the level of sampling error for design commodities.

AGRICULTURAL ESTABLISHMENTS

8 An agricultural establishment is the smallest accounting unit of business within a state or territory controlling its productive activities and maintaining a specified range of detailed data enabling value added to be calculated. In general, an establishment covers all operations at a physical location, but may consist of a group of locations provided they are within the same Statistical Local Area (SLA) or contiguous SLAs. The majority of establishments operate at one location only.

INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION

9 Since 1991-92, units in the Agricultural Census and the Agricultural Survey have been classified according to the methodology described in Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) (cat. no. 1292.0). Prior to 1991-92, establishments were classified according to the methodology described in the 1983 edition of Australian Standard Industrial Classification (ASIC), Volume 1 - The Classification (cat. no. 1201.0). Therefore care should be taken when making comparisons between years where different classifications have been used.

SAMPLE ERROR

10 The estimates in this publication are based on information obtained from a sample drawn from the total farm population 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 farms had been included in the Agricultural Survey. 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 responded, and about nineteen chances in twenty that the difference will be less than two SEs.

11 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.

12 Most published national 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 variability 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.

13 A table with RSEs for selected commodities follows:

Relative standard errors of selected commodities - At 30 June 2005
	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT	Aust.
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Barley for grain, production	4.2	3.8	7.8	3.3	3.1	7.5	. .	-	1.8
Canola, production	4.8	5.9	45.6	5.8	7.1	24.6	. .	-	3.1
Lupins for grain, production	11.8	10.4	59.4	11.3	4.2	15.5	. .	-	3.7
Oats for grain, production	4.8	5.6	38.2	10.0	5.5	13.3	. .	-	2.9
Wheat for grain, production	2.5	3.6	5.4	3.3	2.2	6.9	. .	-	1.4
Oranges, production	8.3	22.5	16.0	10.6	20.1	-	-	-	6.9
Carrots, production	30.2	1.1	10.0	13.4	3.7	5.1	-	-	4.8
Potatoes, production	6.6	3.5	14.1	6.5	5.5	4.5	-	-	2.7
Tomatoes, production	9.9	8.9	19.8	35.8	18.2	41.9	-	-	6.9
Total meat cattle	2.8	3.7	3.4	5.6	4.0	5.6	-	-	1.8
Total milk cattle	5.7	4.5	7.2	8.8	7.7	4.2	-	-	3.1
Total sheep and lambs	2.4	3.0	7.2	3.7	2.6	2.9	-	-	1.3
Total pigs	12.2	4.7	6.7	8.6	6.6	7.6	-	. .	4.3
. . not applicable
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

CROPS, PASTURES AND HORTICULTURE

14 Statistics on area and production of crops relate, in the main, to crops sown during the year ended 30 June. Statistics of perennial crops relate to the position at 30 June and the production during the year ended on that date, or fruit set by that date. Statistics for apples and pears and grapes, which in some states are harvested after 30 June, are collected by supplementary collection forms and are included in this publication.

LIVESTOCK SLAUGHTERING AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS

15 The statistics on livestock slaughtering and meat production are based on data collected from abattoirs and other major slaughtering establishments and include estimates of animals slaughtered on farms and by country butchers and other small slaughtering establishments. Care should be taken when using this information as the figures only relate to slaughtering for human consumption and do not include animals condemned or those killed for boiling down. Definitions of livestock categories may differ between states and within states, particularly with regard to calves.

WOOL

16 Wool production statistics contained in this publication are derived from the quarterly ABS Wool Brokers and Dealers Receivals Collection and are published on the basis of state of production.

17 Wool receivals statistics show the amount of taxable wool received by brokers and dealers from wool producers. They exclude wool received by brokers on which wool tax has already been paid by other dealers (private buyers) or brokers.

MILK

18 Milk statistics have been collected and provided to the ABS by Dairy Australia. Data for the Australian Capital Territory are included with New South Wales; data for the Northern Territory are included with South Australia.

POULTRY SLAUGHTERING

19 Poultry slaughtering statistics have been compiled from quarterly returns supplied by commercial poultry slaughtering establishments. Producers in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are not included in the aggregates derived from the Poultry and Game Birds Slaughtered collection. However, the statistics represent a high level of coverage.

ABS DATA AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

20 As well as the statistics included in this and related publications, the ABS may have other relevant data available on request. Inquiries should be made to either the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Gordon Cameron on Hobart (03) 6222 5939.

GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT

21 ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated: without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

22 A range of agricultural publications is produced by the ABS, including:

Livestock and Meat, Australia - Electronic Publication, cat. no. 7218.0.55.001
Livestock Products, Australia, cat. no. 7215.0
Principal Agricultural Commodities, Australia, Preliminary, cat. no. 7111.0
Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, cat. no. 7503.0
Value of Principal Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, Preliminary, cat. no. 7501.0

Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product, cat. no. 5206.0
Australian National Accounts: State Accounts, cat. no. 5220.0