Current Research

Internal projects

Changes in grassland

The Observatory's research on uncropped land revealed a certain amount of anecdotal evidence of farmers ploughing grassland to grow crops in response to high cereal prices. This project will examine this issue using the available evidence on changes in grassland and arable areas in England. The primary focus will be on the changes since CAP reform and what has happened recently as a result of the high prices. However, there is also the need to understand the more long term changes in order to put the recent changes into context, and to understand the findings of other data sources such as Countryside Survey, which focuses on the changes from 1998 to 2007. The work uses data from the June survey to analyse national, regional and sub regional changes as well as IACS and SPS data to investigate field level changes.

A preliminary report is expected in spring 2009

Further development of published projects on livestock numbers

June 2006 survey data is now available for analysis. It will be important to extend the analyses in the published reports to June 2006 and use cattle tracing scheme data where appropriate to determine whether there are any significant changes taking place and their potential environmental impact.

Results expected early 2009

The Farm Practice Survey of upland farmers

By using the June Survey register additional information will be gathered on the attitudes, opinions and farming practices in the uplands. The information collected will help to fill the gaps in current survey data and improve Defra’s understanding of a range of issues affecting farming in the uplands. 

Results expected summer 2009

External projects

Developing June agricultural census historical data

The first stage of the project has now been completed and assesses the quality of previously archived holding level June Census data for 1968 - 1986 to determine its usefulness for analytical purposes. To make the June Census data a more usable resource for researchers to use and interpret by collating the information that has already been computerised, and by producing a 'concordance', which would provide information to researchers on what information is available at different times.  The second stage of this work is being carried out by the University of Portsmouth.

Stage 1 results published November 2007
Stage 2 results expected 2009

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