Statistikk innhold
Statistics on
Farmers’ income and debt
The statistics present figures for incomes and debt for persons who are operating agricultural holdings, independent of the holding as source of income. The amounts are derived from tax statistics for personal tax payers.
Selected figures from these statistics
- Farmers’ income and debtDownload table as ...Farmers’ income and debt
2024 Change in per cent 2023 - 2024 2019 - 2024 Personal holders (number) 34 512 -1.7 -6.3 Average total income for holders (NOK) 829 900 9.2 39.5 Wages and salaries 391 200 6.9 30.9 Net entrepreneurial income from agriculture 295 700 14.9 77.7 Other entrepreneurial income 110 400 13.0 31.4 Pensions 83 800 5.5 31.3 Capital income etc.1 101 200 16.5 59.9 Average debt for holders (NOK) 2 827 100 4.8 9.6 Average interest paid for holders (NOK) 152 400 20.1 86.8 1Capital income (interest income, dividends, etc.) varies greatly from year to year and is dominated by a small number of people with very large capital income Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Entrepreneurial income from agriculture for holders, by countyDownload table as ...Entrepreneurial income from agriculture for holders, by county
Net entrepreneurial income from agriculture Net entrepreneurial income from agriculture Holders by net entrepreneurial income from agriculture NOK million NOK Number Per cent Total Per holder Holders, total Without positive income 1 - 49 999 NOK 50 000 - 99 999 NOK 100 000 - 249 999 NOK 250 000 - 399 999 NOK 400 000 and more 2022 9 836 275 100 35 755 28 9 11 15 10 27 2023 9 034 257 300 35 111 30 9 11 15 10 26 2024 10 204 295 700 34 512 29 8 10 15 10 28 2024 Østfold 543 284 400 1 910 26 8 11 18 11 25 Oslo and Akershus 524 268 200 1 954 28 8 11 18 10 26 Innlandet 1 949 312 900 6 230 27 7 10 14 11 30 Buskerud 364 206 600 1 761 31 9 13 16 11 22 Vestfold 329 300 600 1 093 29 8 11 17 9 25 Telemark 178 149 800 1 190 40 10 11 14 8 16 Agder 335 195 700 1 712 40 9 11 12 7 21 Rogaland 1 599 440 000 3 633 21 7 11 14 10 37 Vestland 1 014 186 000 5 451 36 10 12 15 9 19 Møre og Romsdal 564 264 100 2 135 36 9 9 13 7 27 Trøndelag - Trööndelage 1 813 368 800 4 917 25 7 10 14 9 35 Nordland - Nordlánnda 637 401 700 1 585 22 8 8 15 11 37 Troms - Romsa - Tromssa 268 380 000 705 25 7 7 13 12 36 Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku 88 372 000 236 31 6 6 11 9 37 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Average income for holders, by county. NOKDownload table as ...Average income for holders, by county. NOK
Total net income Wages and salaries Net entrepreneurial income from agriculture Other entrepreneurial income Pensions Capital income etc1 2022 778 500 344 600 275 100 98 900 73 300 76 200 2023 760 200 365 900 257 300 97 700 79 400 86 900 2024 829 900 391 200 295 700 110 400 83 800 101 200 2024 Østfold 921 200 443 300 284 400 148 500 84 400 161 800 Oslo and Akershus 995 300 455 400 268 200 175 600 102 400 164 700 Innlandet 802 400 342 700 312 900 142 600 74 200 96 400 Buskerud 916 800 408 400 206 600 185 400 87 500 147 200 Vestfold 917 100 423 000 300 600 144 000 93 500 139 200 Telemark 799 600 448 500 149 800 101 200 108 100 91 100 Agder 759 700 400 700 195 700 100 000 94 900 89 900 Rogaland 924 200 397 900 440 000 90 600 70 700 118 400 Vestland 793 300 434 000 186 000 71 800 97 500 92 000 Møre og Romsdal 783 900 402 500 264 100 74 600 91 100 80 500 Trøndelag - Trööndelage 781 100 372 200 368 800 95 000 66 200 70 900 Nordland - Nordlánnda 743 700 284 500 401 700 71 100 87 500 58 100 Troms - Romsa - Tromssa 746 200 292 300 380 000 64 600 82 900 46 700 Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku 712 000 302 400 372 000 60 500 69 300 37 700 1Capital income (interest income, dividends, etc.) varies greatly from year to year and is dominated by a small number of people with very large capital income. Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Holders by net entrepreneurial income from agriculture as per cent of net income, by countyDownload table as ...Holders by net entrepreneurial income from agriculture as per cent of net income, by county
Holders, total Share of holders by net entrepreneurial income from agriculture as per cent of net income 0 per cent 1-9 per cent 10-49 per cent 50-89 per cent 90 per cent or more 2022 35 755 27 13 31 17 12 2023 35 111 29 14 30 16 11 2024 34 512 29 13 31 17 10 2024 Østfold 1 910 25 13 33 14 15 Oslo and Akershus 1 954 27 13 36 13 11 Innlandet 6 230 26 10 28 16 20 Buskerud 1 761 30 14 33 13 9 Vestfold 1 093 30 13 31 12 14 Telemark 1 190 39 14 29 10 8 Agder 1 712 40 12 25 11 12 Rogaland 3 633 21 11 27 17 24 Vestland 5 451 36 15 28 11 11 Møre og Romsdal 2 135 35 11 23 13 17 Trøndelag - Trööndelage 4 917 25 10 27 14 24 Nordland - Nordlánnda 1 585 21 10 26 14 29 Troms - Romsa - Tromssa 705 24 8 26 17 24 Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku 236 31 7 18 14 29 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Interest paid and debt for holders, by countyDownload table as ...Interest paid and debt for holders, by county
Interest paid, total. NOK million Interest paid per holder. NOK Debt, total. NOK million Debt per holder. NOK 2022 3 209 89 700 103 534 2 895 700 2023 4 457 126 900 94 741 2 698 300 2024 5 259 152 400 97 570 2 827 100 2024 Østfold 384 201 200 7 361 3 853 900 Oslo and Akershus 334 170 900 6 521 3 337 000 Innlandet 1 037 166 400 19 412 3 115 900 Buskerud 208 118 300 4 111 2 334 200 Vestfold 200 183 300 3 977 3 639 000 Telemark 118 99 100 2 224 1 868 900 Agder 208 121 500 3 831 2 237 700 Rogaland 703 193 500 13 561 3 732 700 Vestland 479 87 900 9 002 1 651 500 Møre og Romsdal 275 129 000 4 873 2 282 400 Trøndelag - Trööndelage 944 192 000 16 657 3 387 600 Nordland - Nordlánnda 252 159 200 4 118 2 598 400 Troms - Romsa - Tromssa 85 120 300 1 407 1 996 200 Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku 31 129 800 515 2 180 200 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ... - Holders by size of debt, by countyDownload table as ...Holders by size of debt, by county
Holders, total Holders by size of debt NOK 0-0.09 million NOK 0.1-0.9 million NOK 1-1.9 million NOK 2-3.9 million NOK 4 million or more 2022 35 755 6 548 8 081 5 426 7 105 8 595 2023 35 111 6 006 8 471 6 302 7 025 7 307 2024 34 512 5 889 7 968 6 124 7 079 7 452 2024 Østfold 1 910 250 380 309 409 562 Oslo and Akershus 1 954 290 422 316 407 519 Innlandet 6 230 933 1 495 1 077 1 199 1 526 Buskerud 1 761 355 436 295 370 305 Vestfold 1 093 156 215 182 229 311 Telemark 1 190 253 286 256 255 140 Agder 1 712 335 364 360 390 263 Rogaland 3 633 507 687 539 808 1 092 Vestland 5 451 1 348 1 443 1 060 1 012 588 Møre og Romsdal 2 135 406 559 412 429 329 Trøndelag - Trööndelage 4 917 620 1 003 827 1 102 1 365 Nordland - Nordlánnda 1 585 268 404 291 303 319 Troms - Romsa - Tromssa 705 130 209 158 112 96 Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku 236 38 65 42 54 37 Explanation of symbolsDownload table as ...
About the statistics
The information under «About the statistics» was last updated 4 June 2023.
Agricultural holding
A single unit both technically and economically, which has single management and which produces agricultural products. The holding is independent of municipality boundaries. The agricultural holding's headquarter must be located to an agricultural property.
Holder
The person considered responsible for operating the holding.
Gross income
Total wages and salaries, pensions, gross entrepreneurial income and property income.
Average income for farmers
Average gross income with deduction of debt interest and the year's deficit in the industry.
Wages and salaries
Comprise payments in cash and in kind, taxable sick pay and unemployment benefit.
Pensions
Cover all benefit paid by social security and private pension and life insurance benefit.
Gross entrepreneurial income
A result of the activities of a self-employed person, and is estimated from profit and loss account and balance sheet. The entrepreneurial income is transferred to the tax return and is included in the calculation of ordinary income.
Gross entrepreneurial income from agriculture
This is positive entrepreneurial income from agriculture according to the tax return. In addition, entrepreneurial social security benefits in agriculture, forestry and fishery are included. Deductions such as membership payments to industry organisations, the year's entrepreneurial deficit, interest on debt and a separate agricultural deduction are not deducted. Income from any supplementary industry executed on the holding, e.g. forestry, are included in other entrepreneurial income if the industry concerned are considered as independent according to taxation.
Net entrepreneurial income from agriculture
Gross entrepreneurial income from agriculture with deduction of the year's deficit in the industry.
Capital income
Consist of interest income, dividends, realised capital gains, rent and other income from property.
The following classifications are used in the tables: county where the holding is located, size of holding expressed in decares of utilised agricultural area, type of farming of the holding and sex of holder.
County
See new county classification: https://www.ssb.no/klass/klassifikasjoner/104
Name: Farmers’ income and debt
Topic: Agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing
Division for Housing, Property, Spatial and Agricultural Statistics
County
Annual, about 55 weeks after the reference year
Not relevant
Collected and revised data are stored securely by Statistics Norway in compliance with applicable legislation on data processing.
Statistics Norway can grant access to the source data (de-identified or anonymised microdata) on which the statistics are based, for researchers and public authorities for the purposes of preparing statistical results and analyses. Access can be granted upon application and subject to conditions. Refer to the details about this at Access to data from Statistics Norway.
The purpose is to present statistics on incomes and debt for persons who are operating agricultural holdings, independent of the holding as source of income. An essential feature of the Norwegian agriculture is that many persons that are running agricultural holdings work part-time in agriculture or the work is concentrated to the growing season. Many holders have wage/salary or entrepreneurial income from other industries as main source of income.
Statistics Norway has produced statistics on the farmers' income, property and taxes based on the tax assessment for personal taxpayers since 1968. More detailed tax return data have been presented from 1999 and onwards.
There is much focus on level, distribution and development of incomes of holders in agriculture. The main users of the statistics are the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, the Agricultural Budget Commission, the Norwegian Farmers Union, the Norwegian Smallholders Union etc.
No external users have access to statistics before they are released at 8 a.m. on ssb.no after at least three months’ advance notice in the release calendar. This is one of the most important principles in Statistics Norway for ensuring the equal treatment of users.
Yearly, Statistics Norway also presents Income statistics for all self-employed persons . At first level the self-employed persons are classified into two groups: self-employed with main income from industry and self-employed with main income from wages/salaries and pensions. Furthermore, those with main income from industry are classified into primary industries and other industries. Primary industries consist of agriculture, forestry and fishery.
The The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research yearly presents Account Results in Agriculture and Forestry. This survey shows results for holdings where most of the family's total income are derived from the holding. More information: http://www.nibio.no/.
The statistics are developed, produced and disseminated pursuant to Act no. 32 of 21 June 2019 relating to official statistics and Statistics Norway (the Statistics Act).
Not relevant
Agricultural holdings are operated by two main types of holders: natural person and legal person. The total number of holdings has been decreasing over many years, while during the last years the number of holdings operated by a legal person has increased. The percentage of holdings operated by a legal person increased from 1 per cent in 1999 to 6 per cent in 2008. The proportion has decreased somewhat, and in 2021 they make up just over 5 per cent of the population. The statistics on the farmers' income and property cover only agricultural holdings operated by a natural person.
The agricultural companies have a large variation in the scope of production, this includes everything from hobby production to holdings with turnover in the millions. Some of the holdings have small-scale production under the threshold to be considered an industry by the tax authorities.
The individual person who is considered as responsible for operating the holding is referred to as holder (farmer). Some holdings change holder during the year. Mainly, the holder being holder as per 31 July the year concerned is included. For the holders information has been obtained on any spouse, registered partner or cohabitant. Up to and including 2004, cohabitant included only he/she who had children in common with the holder. As from 2005, also cohabitant who lived together with holder according to the Population and Housing Census 2001 and still has common address is included.
Married couples and registered partners who jointly operate a holding may share the taxable entrepreneurial income. Cohabitants who want to share the entrepreneurial income from a jointly operated holding have to organize the management as a legal entity other than sole proprietorship, or one of them has to be an employee.
The population of persons may differ from one table to another. Mainly, a table either comprises holders only or an aggregate of holders and spouses/registered partners/cohabitants.
The statistics are based on the population of agricultural holdings operated by a natural person and tax return data. Division for Income and Wage Statistics links data from the Tax statistics for personal tax payers to the population of farmers. The tax statistics for personal taxpayers is a total census based on data from the ordinary tax assessments. For more information: https://www.ssb.no/en/inntekt-og-forbruk/skatt-for-personer/statistikk/skatt-for-personer
The statistics are based on collocation of data files that have been separately edited when established. Furthermore, the statistics have been examined for extreme values, i.g. values for individual holders or spouses/partners/cohabitants which significantly influence the whole population of agricultural holdings operated by a natural person. Individuals who meet one or more of the following conditions are omitted from the statistics: had a gross income of more than NOK 100 million, had a debt of more than NOK 100 million or had property of more than NOK 300 million. Annually, this concerns about 10 individuals.
Some holders and spouses/partners/cohabitants operate holdings separately. To avoid double counting, information from the tax return data are linked to the holding with the largest production. Annually, this concerns about 100 couples.
Average figures for a variable, e.g. wages and salaries for the holder, is estimated by summing up the value of the variable wages and salaries for all holders and divide the sum with the number of total holders. This means that holders without wages and salaries are included in the average figures.
Not relevant
Employees of Statistics Norway have a duty of confidentiality.
Statistics Norway does not publish figures if there is a risk of the respondent’s contribution being identified. This means that, as a general rule, figures are not published if fewer than three units form the basis of a cell in a table or if the contribution of one or two respondents constitutes a very large part of the cell total.
Statistics Norway can make exceptions to the general rule if deemed necessary to meet the requirements of the EEA agreement, if the respondent is a public authority, if the respondent has consented to this, or when the information disclosed is openly accessible to the public.
More information can be found on Statistics Norway’s website under Methods in official statistics, in the ‘Confidentiality’ section.
Changes in the tax regulations influence the data and consequently the statistics over time. The tax regulations were significantly changed as from 1992. The statistics are essentially comparable for the period 1992 - 2002. In 2003, the tax return forms filled in by self-employed persons were considerably changed. Particularly, a separate deduction in entrepreneurial income from agriculture was deducted before the entrepreneurial income was transferred to the tax return form. Due to this neither the entrepreneurial income nor the gross income are comparable with the other years. As from 2004, the agricultural deduction again is stated as a deduction on the tax return.
Changes in tax regulations as from 1 January 2006 increased taxes for certain types of income. Due to this, taxpayers realised income in 2005 to avoid increased taxes in 2006 or later years.
Changes in the regulation concerning governmental production subsidies as per 31 July 2002 have caused increased number of holdings operated by other legal entities than sole proprietorship. This concerns particularly the legal entities general partnership and general partnership with shared liability. Furthermore, the changes of the regulation has influenced the number of holders participating in joint operation (organised as general partnerships) and at the same time running their own enterprise (sole proprietorship). Before 2002, holders participating in joint operation in milk production had to apply separately for area production subsidies. Now, the participants may choose whether they will cultivate fodder in own separate enterprise or operate the area jointly.
From 2002, holders applying governmental production subsidies as a general condition had to be registered in the Value Added Tax Registration List. Later, the minimum turnover for being in this list has increased. In order to still include small holdings, a new condition was introduced; the holding has to have an overall turnover, included withdrawal of commodities, over a certain threshold during the last 12 months. From 2014 there is no threshold.
A revised calculation of type of farming of the holdings was implemented in the Farmers' Income and Property 2007. The revision has caused a fall in the farm types "Various grazing livestock" and "Mixed crops - livestock", while the farm type "Other field crops" has increased. Other farm types are hardly affected.
New changes in the type of farming classification have been introduced as from 2010. Before 2010 standard gross margin (SGM) was used as common unit of measurement for various crop and livestock husbandry within a holding. From 2010 and onwards SGM is replaced by standard output (SO). Some other changes concerning the methodology are also introduced. The two versions are not fully comparable.
The most important source of error is that taxpayers may fill in incorrect information on income, deductions, property or debt in the personal tax return or place amounts under wrong items. In most cases this will be detected and corrected by the local tax offices. Nevertheless, errors that do not influence the assessment of taxes may be ignored. Furthermore, errors may also originate during the scanning of the tax return forms, despite of the fact that controls are executed.
A non-significant number of holdings are missing information on income etc. No information is imputed for these holdings.
Statistics Norway receives data from the Directorate of Taxes before all complaints from taxpayers are finished.
Only final figures are published.