Agriculture is New Zealand's largest industry and largest export earner. Agriculture, horticulture and forestry products earn more than half of New Zealand's export income. For this reason, it is essential that a periodic survey is undertaken so that changes in the agricultural sector can be identified and used in planning and forecasting. The main objective of the survey is to provide up-to-date and reliable statistics on agricultural, horticultural and forestry activity.
Individuals or farming enterprises involved in livestock farming, arable farming, horticulture or forestry are included in this survey. If you have queries, please contact the Survey Help Desk by emailing ag@stats.govt.nz, phoning 0800 333 104 or faxing 09 020 9195.
Email Please email us at ag@stats.govt.nz. If sending an email, provide your reference number (the number starting with KA located in the top left-hand corner of the address panel) and a contact telephone number, and indicate a time that would be convenient for us to call you.
Telephone Please call us on 0800 333 104. All staff on our Survey Help Desk are trained to assist you. If you are asked to leave a message, please leave your name, a brief description of your query, your reference number (your number starting with KA located in the top left-hand corner of the address panel), phone number and a convenient time to call you back. Our telephone lines are open between 8.00am and 9.00pm. Voicemail will record your message between 9.00pm and 8.00am and we will respond as soon as possible.
top
The Agricultural Production Survey is a postal survey, with farmers, horticulturists and foresters asked to complete and return questionnaires within 14 days of receipt. Questionnaires will be posted out in July of each year.
Agricultural statistics are widely available and are used by the farming and industrial sectors, government, researchers and other community groups.
Uses include:
back to top
A farm is one or more blocks of land, managed as a single operation, that is engaged in agricultural activity. This includes:
The Agricultural Production Survey produces results at the regional level. Because of this, some large farms located in more than one region may need to be treated as two separate farms, with the farmer being asked to complete two questionnaires.
A farming enterprise (or simply 'enterprise') is a business or other activity that owns, leases or is otherwise involved in the operation of one or more farms.
Some individuals or enterprises have more than one GST registration and may receive several questionnaires. For reconciliation purposes, it is important that all of the questionnaires are returned. Complete the questionnaire that represents the farming operation and please mark the extra questionnaire(s) "surplus" and tell us why. Please return all questionnaires in the same envelope.
We would like you to complete one questionnaire for each farm. It is very important that we count all the farms owned by you. Please contact Statistics NZ's Survey Help Desk, either by emailing ag@stats.govt.nz or by phoning 0800 333 104, to get additional questionnaires.
Please complete questions 1 to 13, questions 71 and 72 at the back of the questionnaire, and all other questions that apply.
Please complete the questionnaire for your new farm.
Please make the appropriate corrections in the address panel boxes provided on the front of the survey questionnaire.
Sometimes the way Statistics NZ classifies businesses may differ from how the business itself describes its activities.
If you are not involved in any of the activities outlined in this survey:
If required you can contact the Survey Help Desk, either by emailing ag@stats.govt.nz or by phoning 0800 333 104.
We are collecting information to produce comprehensive statistics and to update our livestock, arable farming, horticulture and forestry list of farms. We need a response from all farms and lifestyle blocks however small.
To reduce the possibility of double counting, Statistics NZ is asking the owners of sharemilked farms to report for the farm. Farm owners are asked, where necessary, to work with the sharemilker to complete livestock and other farm operation details before returning the questionnaire.
Sharemilkers selected for the 2008 survey need to complete questions on pages 1 and 2, questions 71 and 72, and if necessary provide comments in question 70. If you are a sharemilker, and during the year ended 30 June 2008 you have owned or leased a separate farm or undertaken other farming activity, you should complete a questionnaire for that farm.
Please note that the 2008 Agricultural Production Survey questionnaire for the year ended 30 June 2008 requests plantings and harvestings for the 12-month period ended 31 March 2008.
If you are a member of a forestry partnership, a forestry investment scheme or have purchased a forestry block from an investment company, please complete question 20 (land use) and questions 21-22 (forestry). Also give the name of the partnership or investment company in the space provided in question 70 (comments). This will help Statistics NZ to avoid double counting when we estimate forestry activity.
If you are a forestry company, make sure that all land in your possession is recorded. Include land over which you held forestry rights (cutting rights) at 30 June 2008. Where the total amount of land held exceeds the net planted area at 30 June 2008 (plantations of exotic trees intended for harvest), please ensure that the difference is recorded under the appropriate category. If you have plantation area which has been clearfelled or salvage logged and the area has not been replanted, or is awaiting a land use change, include the area under the appropriate category.
If you held forestry rights (cutting rights) that have been exercised, and the land over which the rights were held has reverted to the land owner, please give the legal name of the owner of the land in the space provided at question 70 (comments). This will help us to make a complete count of forestry activity.
If you have sold forestry rights for plantation area on your farm to another person or business, please complete question 20 (land use) including the area of plantation concerned. If any of the plantation area was harvested during the year and you are able to provide details please do so in questions 21-22 (forestry). In question 70 (comments) please provide details of the person or business to whom rights were sold.
If you have bought forestry rights and have harvested any of the trees, please complete questions 21-22 (forestry). In question 70 (comments) please give name and contact details for the farmer from whom the cutting rights were obtained. Do not include the plantation area in question 20 (land use).
If your organisation is a TIMO or similar organisation and you require your New Zealand associate or agent to answer this questionnaire for you, please contact our Survey Help Desk, by phoning 0800 333 104.
Yes, please ensure that you complete and return the questionnaire. We need to understand how all land is being used.
Yes, please ensure that you complete all questions that apply to you and return the questionnaire.
Your responses to the questions will be read using electronic equipment. It is important that you print your answers in capital letters and keep each letter, number or mark within the boxes provided on the questionnaire.
A black or blue pen is preferred when completing the questionnaire.
Please provide any additional information either directly above or below the intended box as space permits, enter any comments in question 70 or if necessary attach an additional piece of paper.
Yes. That way we are able to interpret the information given.
Cross out the incorrect answer and rewrite the correct response directly above or below, as space permits.
The information you provide allows Statistics NZ to produce statistical information for farming and agribusiness organisations, government, researchers and other community groups to determine trends within the industry. This information can be used for:
When you are selected in any Statistics NZ census or survey, you are obliged to respond. We appreciate that completing Statistics NZ forms takes time, and we thank you for your cooperation.
To help farmers and businesses to overcome reporting difficulties, we will work with respondents to manage these demands better.
Please contact the Survey Help Desk, either by emailing ag@stats.govt.nz or by phoning 0800 333 104, if you need help with this survey.
No. There is no authority for Statistics NZ to pay respondents for providing statistical information. In line with statistical offices worldwide, individuals, businesses and other organisations are asked to supply information for statistical purposes without compensation.
The majority of statistics derived from the department’s surveys provide information that is of value to the community as a whole. Surveys requiring a compulsory response are only carried out where there is a clear need for such 'community good' information.
Yes. The return of this questionnaire, completed and signed, is a compulsory requirement under the Statistics Act 1975. back to top
The list of farms included in the Agricultural Production Survey has been taken from Statistics NZ's Business Frame.
Only people authorised by the Statistics Act 1975 are permitted to see your answers. These will be combined with those of other farmers, growers and foresters in producing statistical outputs. Statistics cannot be released in a form that allows your individual responses to be identified.
The Agricultural Production Survey is a joint collection with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), as provided for in section 9 of the Statistics Act 1975. Any data released to MAF continues to be protected by the Statistics Act 1975. The information will only be used for statistical purposes and cannot be released by MAF in a form that allows individual responses to be identified. You have the right to object to the release of your information to MAF by writing to the Government Statistician and stating your objection. Attach your letter to your completed questionnaire.
Under section 37F of the Statistics Act 1975, the Government Statistician is authorised to provide a list of names and addresses of sheep, goat and beef farmers to the Meat Board. This list can only be used for the Meat Board election process and for the Meat Board to distribute copies of its publications. You have the right to object to the release of your name to the Meat Board by writing to the Government Statistician. Any data released to the Meat Board continues to be protected by the Statistics Act 1975 (section 37) and must only be used for the purposes set out in the Act.
No. Farmers can be assured that individual information collected in Statistics NZ's Agricultural Production surveys will not be used to tax or levy a farmer. Each individual's information is treated with the strictest confidence.
We can provide information that could be helpful in determining trends within your industry and territorial authority.
Final results from 2008 Agricultural Production Survey are now available. For statistics that are currently available free of charge, see our home page for statistics on agriculture, horticulture and forestry.