Results published by DAERA from a survey on the structure of NI farms shows that 32% of NI farmers in 2016 had additional income coming from outside of direct farming activity.

The EU Farm Structure Survey was last conducted in 2013 when 36% of NI farmers had off-farm income, although that figure had increased significantly from 1995 when it was only 21%.

A farmer is defined in the survey as the principal manager or most senior partner in a farm business that they own.

In total, there were 22,051 people classed as farmers, but a total workforce on NI farms of 53,877, that includes farmers, their spouses, other family members and hired workers.

Overall, 55% of the 22,051 classed as farmers worked more than 30 hours a week and were classed as full-time. This compares to 65% in 1995. On average, 43% of farmers, or their spouses, or both, had off-farm income in 2016.

The median age for farmers has remained static in recent surveys at 58 years old. Only 6% of farmers are under 35 years old, although that represents an increase from 4% in 2013

Female

A total of 96% of farmers were classed as male, with 34% of farmers having a spouse who works on the farm, 37% with a spouse that works off the farm, and 30% with no spouse at all.

On 99% of NI farms, the principal farmer was either the occupier (the person with legal and financial responsibility for the business) or a family member of the occupier. Farmers and their family provided 90% of the labour input on farms in 2016.

Workforce

The total workforce in 2016 of 53,877 persons (19,334 work full-time) is down from the 60,400 recorded in 2000. Likewise, the total labour input of 28,640 full-time equivalents in 2016 is down from 32,500 in 2000. However, the 2016 survey shows that 25% of farmers and farm managers have attended a formal training course, which is up from 13% recorded in 2000.