At a glance
The farm accountancy data network (FADN) monitors farms' income and business activities. It is also an important informative source for understanding the impact of the measures taken under the common agricultural policy.
FADN is the only source of microeconomic data based on harmonised bookkeeping principles. It is based on national surveys and only covers EU agricultural holdings which, due to their size, can be considered commercial.
The methodology applied aims to provide representative data according to three categories: region, economic size and type of farming.
Results and analysis
The FADN public database aggregates, after validation, individual data into standard results.
Annual economic farming data at EU level and by country
Economy of farms and rural areas
Farm economy data by sector:
Access to FADN online platforms
The Commission shares information via multiple online platforms:
- the FADN-FSDN Public Information Interest Group on CIRCABC contains public libraries providing information on FADN (and later FSDN) methodology, instructions for data collection and validation and publications using FADN data,
- the FADN Committee and Expert Group on CIRCABC contains documents for the community committee for the FADN and is reserved for designated members of FADN Liaison Agencies, who are granted access after approval of the access request,
- the RICA-1 computerised system, which is restricted to members of the FADN Liaison Agencies, is dedicated to uploading and testing data.
Conversion to Farm Sustainability Data Network
The European Green Deal is the Commission’s plan to make the EU economy sustainable and carbon neutral by 2050. In the Farm to Fork strategy, the Commission announced its intention to convert the FADN into a Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN).
The FSDN initiative will expand the scope of the current FADN network to also collect farm level data on environmental and social farming practices, as well as provide farmers with reporting on their farm performance. The data collection methodology will be in line with the existing one for the current FADN.
The public consultation on the Commission’s FSDN Roadmap ran from 4 June to 2 July 2021. All the feedback provided by the public is available on the FSDN consultation webpage. On 28-29 September 2021, the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development organised the second FSDN workshop, which focused on the outcomes of this consultation process and possible concrete improvements of the FADN.
To convert the overall structure of the FADN, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation amending Council Regulation 1217/2009. The list of new data and variables to be included in the future FSDN will be set out in secondary legislation (implementing and delegated acts). Based on an ongoing study, the Commission will propose a mapping of possible topics to be included, which will be discussed in Autumn 2022 during a workshop with EU countries and stakeholders. The Commission will take into account the need to limit the data collection administrative burden on farmers and national authorities. The subsequent discussions with EU countries in committee meetings will build on the Commission’s proposal.