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Agriculture and rural development

Farm sustainability data network

At a glance

As of 2025, the Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN) is set to replace the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN).

The FADN has been an informative source for understanding the impact of the measures taken under the common agricultural policy, as the only source of microeconomic data based on harmonised bookkeeping principles. It has provided valuable insights into the EU's commercial farms. The methodology applied aims to provide representative data according to three categories: region, economic size and type of farming.

The FSDN will build on the FADN's legacy, expanding its scope to cover not only farms' income and business activities but also information on their environmental and social sustainability performance.

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

Agricultural and farm economics

Farm economy data by sector:

Conversion to Farm Sustainability Data Network

The FSDN represents an advancement and broadening of the existing FADN by also collecting farm level data on environmental farming practices and social aspects, providing farmers with reporting on their farm performance and improving the data compilation through data sharing with other sources. 

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2746 of 25 October 2024, repealing the current Regulation (EU) 2015/220, provides the detailed definition of the variables, the methodologies for selecting farms for data collection, the protocols for data sharing and the allocation of financial resources. This Regulation provides the detailed definition of the variables, the methodologies for selecting farms for data collection, the protocols for data sharing and the allocation of financial resources.

In a related development, the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1417 was adopted in March 2024. This includes rules for annual income determination, holding sustainability analysis and access to data for research purpose.

Together, these two Regulations establish the framework for operating the FSDN, in line with the Council Regulation (EC) 1217/2009 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2023/2674 on the conversion of the FADN into a FSDN (FSDN Basic Act).

In parallel, the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2499, which was adopted in September 2024, provides a substantial financial contribution to Member States' setting up costs related to the conversion.

The timeline below indicates the process followed for the conversion to FSDN, starting from the Farm to Fork strategy, where the Commission announced its intention to convert the FADN into the FSDN.

  1. October 2024

    The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2746 was adopted, providing the detailed definition of the variables, the methodologies for selecting farms for data collection, the protocols for data sharing and the allocation of financial resources.

  2. 30 September 2024

    The draft Implementing Regulation was voted on in the FSDN Committee meeting.

  3. September 2024

    The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2499 was adopted, providing substantial financial contributions to Member States for setup costs.

  4. May 2024

    The Commission adopted Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1417, setting rules for annual income determination, holding sustainability analysis, and research data access.

  5. 29 November 2023

    The Regulation (EU) 2023/2674, converting FADN into FSDN, was published in the Official Journal of the EU.

  6. October - November 2023

    The European Parliament’s plenary overwhelmingly voted in favour of the FSDN and the Council adopted the FSDN following the European Parliament’s vote.

  7. July 2023

    Interinstitutional negotiations led to a political agreement between the European Parliament and Council.

  8. November 2023

    The FSDN pilot project concluded after running since January 2022, offering analysis on new variables, data sharing and IT improvements.

  9. June 2022

    The Commission adopted its proposal for converting FADN into FSDN

  10. Between 2021 and 2022

    The Commission’s FSDN Roadmap was published in June 2021 and stakeholders were consulted on potential improvements for the FADN

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 FSDN 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-FSDN Liaison Agencies, is dedicated to uploading and testing data.

Events