QUALITY DECLARATION - SUMMARY
INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
For information on the institutional environment of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), including the legislative obligations of the ABS, financing and governance arrangements, and mechanisms for scrutiny of ABS operations, please see ABS Institutional Environment.
RELEVANCE
Agricultural Commodities, Australia (ABS Cat. No. 7121.0) presents the final release of statistics from the annual Agricultural Survey or five-yearly Agricultural Census and associated agricultural surveys. It contains detailed statistics on crops, livestock, industry and size characteristics of agricultural businesses. In addition, it presents summary statistics on a range of land-use questions, including information about water usage and sources of water for irrigation. The data are collected on a state basis and then aggregated to derive Australian totals.
Milk data is obtained from Dairy Australia, who collects milk production and milk sales on a state basis.
TIMELINESS
Agricultural Commodities, Australia (ABS Cat. No. 7121.0) is generally published 12 months after the reference period. However the 2005-06 publication was released 21 months after the reference period due to added complexities associated with the processing and production of the Agricultural Census data.
Preliminary data for the 2005-06 reference period were released in publications Principal Agricultural Commodities, Australia, Preliminary (ABS Cat. No. 7111.0), Selected Agricultural Commodities, Australia, Preliminary (ABS Cat. No. 7112.0), Principal Agricultural Commodities, Third Estimates, Australia (ABS Cat. No. 7126.0) and Water Use On Australian Farms, Preliminary (ABS Cat. No. 4618.0).
ACCURACY
Data from the 2005-06 Agricultural Census are based on a response rate of 93% and has been extensively edited. The resultant value estimates have been checked against earlier years and relevant other sources, including contact with data providers, to ensure the accuracy of the estimates produced.
COHERENCE
The 2005-06 Census was conducted using a new, and expanded, frame based on the Australian Taxation Office's Australian Business Register (ABR). The expanded frame means that estimates from the census are not directly comparable with earlier years. The ABS has provided bridging estimates for key variables to give users an idea of the extent of change in the series as a result of using the ABR frame. It is recommended that care be taken when comparing these estimates to earlier years. Detailed explanatory and technical notes are provided in Agricultural Commodities, Australia (ABS Cat. No. 7121.0).
INTERPRETABILITY
The agricultural census and associated agricultural surveys provide a broad range of data about Australian agricultural commodities through a suite of standard products or as data customised for individual requirements. Detailed explanatory notes are provided with this publication to assist users in determining and specifying their data requirements and to understand the concepts underlying the data.
Milk statistics were collected and supplied by Dairy Australia. For more information refer: http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/
ACCESSIBILITY
An extensive range of data are available from a variety of agriculture based collections.
If the information you require is not available as a standard product or service, then ABS Consultancy Services can help you with customised services to suit your needs. Inquiries should be made to either the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Agriculture Client Services on (03) 6222 5939.
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