Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
For more information, you can consult the Eurostat glossary page on the standard output.
3.2. Classification system
Data collected include information on the number of harvests, value, quantity and unit price corresponding to the standard output coefficients of a list of products, broken down by FADN region for each country (reference area). Such values are expressed in euro (and in national currency for countries out of euro area).
The list of products is based on the classifications of crop and livestock variables available in Annex III of Regulation (EU) 2018/1091.
The FADN regions refer to the Farm Accountancy Data Network divisions that are territories of a Member State, or any part thereof, delimited with a view to the selection of returning holdings. See Council Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009 for more information.
The standard output coefficients are used to calculate the standard output of agricultural holdings and to classify agricultural holdings by type of farming and by economic size.The farm type is determined by the relative contribution of the different productions to the total standard output of the holding.
The standard output coefficient of an agricultural product (crop or livestock), abbreviated as SOC, is the average monetary value of the agricultural output at farm-gate price, in euro per hectare or per head of livestock.
Other concepts and definitions are presented in the Typology handbook (RI/CC 1500 rev 5) prepared by the Committee for the Farm Accountancy Data Network.
Standard Output Coefficients (SOC) are collected under the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), by FADN regions in each country. FADN regions are mapped with NUTS regions. For more information on NUTS regions, see the NUTS classification.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The SO 2004 was calculated using the average of 2003, 2004 and 2005 prices. It is applied in 2007 Farm structure survey data and has been applied to 2005 Farm structure survey to allow comparability over the time periods.
The SO 2007 was calculated using the average of 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 prices. It is applied in the 2010 Farm structure survey data.
The SO 2010 was calculated using the average of 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 prices. It is applied in the 2013 Farm structure survey data.
The SO 2013 was calculated using the average of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 prices. It is applied in the 2016 Farm structure survey data.
The SO 2017 was calculated using the average of 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 prices. It is applied in the 2020 Farm structure survey data.
The SO 2020 was calculated using the average of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 prices. It is applied in the 2023 Farm structure survey data.
3.9. Base period
Not requested for this reference year.
Units of measure utilised in the SOC data set are listed in the data transmission file to Eurostat by product. In general terms the used ones are EUR/100HEAD, EUR/100M2, EUR/HA, EUR/HEAD, EUR/HIVE.
Article 4 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1198/2014 states on the reference period for the standard output: “For the purposes of calculating standard outputs for the Union farm structure survey for year N, as referred to in Article 5b(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009, the reference period consists of the five successive years from year N-5 to year N-1. The standard outputs shall be determined using average basic data calculated over the reference period laid down in the first paragraph and commonly referred to as ‘N-3 standard outputs’. These N-3 standard outputs shall be updated to take account of economic trends at least each time a Union farm structure survey is carried out.”
For IFS 2020 this means that the Standard Output Coefficients required will be those calculated on the period of 5 years that spans from 2018 to 2022 (SOC2020)
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
This reference contains: General Terms and Conditions apply to research and other assignments given to WUR (Wageningen University & Research), a partnership between the legal entities Wageningen University and Stichting Wageningen Research (WR). Wageningen Economic Research (WEcR) is one of the research Institutes of WR and is a leading social-economic research institute in international terms and an independent, strategic partner for government and companies. The unique data, models and knowledge of Wageningen Economic Research support customers in policy and decision-making and ultimately contribute to a more sustainable world, improving the quality of life
WR conducts to several research programmes that are commissioned by the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) on the basis of national and international laws and regulations. One of the themes of this Statutory Research Tasks is Economic Information, research carried out by WEcR on the basis of a 5 years agreement.
General terms and agreements: In general, the receiving party must treat the Confidential Information as confidential, keep it secret and not use it for any other purpose than performing the agreement. Results will be considered WUR’s Confidential Information and must therefore be treated by the client in conformity with Article 6. The obligations concerning Confidential Information will continue to apply for five (5) years after the agreement ends. The obligations in Article 6.1 will not apply to Confidential Information under certain circumstances (see 6.2 till 6.4)
Specific guidelines of the Statutory Research Tasks (ministry of LNV)
The Centre for Economic Information is engaged in the efficient and effective collection, processing, inclusion and management of databases and presentation of statistical data on various activities of actors in the agro sector and the rural area in the Netherlands and beyond. Nowadays there is an integrated website shows that information about the agricultural sector in the broad sense of the word. The name of the site, agrimation, is an amalgamation of the words agri and information.
8.1. Release calendar
Within Wageningen Economic research there is an procedure for projects: the project cyclus. Also for yearly (regular) projects. There are various steps within the project cycle: lead, offer, approval, project, results, inclusive reviews of offer and results.
The coordination of the projects (management checks and reviews) follows the line of the market segments: Group Heads for regular, Coordinator BD for business and Coordinator Science for scientific development.
Establishment and publication of SO standards for headings in the Agricultural Census .
Maintaining calculation schedule around NSO typing (with CBS)
Calculating and maintaining the information about the Standard Earning Capacity (SOC)
Provision of information via the WEcR website (with calculation tool for determining the company size in nge or SO) and by e-mail and oral explanations answering questions etc.
Publication: NSO report (2023)
Wisman, Arjan, Jamal Roskam, 2023. NSO-typering agrarische bedrijven 2022; Normen en uitgangspunten bij typering agrarische bedrijven in Nederland. Wageningen, Wageningen Economic Research, Rapport 2023-100
With the SO (standard results) calculation module, external users can easily determine the company size and the company type of a company by themselves. By filling in in the areas of the crops you have grown and the numbers of animals per animal species and then choose the NSO report. It shows the type of business and the size calculated from the data you have entered and the standards and calculation schemes in use.
8.3. Release policy - user access
SOC data are published on Eurostat "Additional data - Eurostat (europa.eu)" page. The publication of the data normally takes place within N+1 year after the deadline for the data transmission. Nevertheless updates of the data can occur, triggered by DG Agri and Eurostat revision and post-validation checks.
Not requested for this reference year.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
Publication: NSO report (2023)
Wisman, Arjan, Jamal Roskam, 2023. NSO-typering agrarische bedrijven 2022; Normen en uitgangspunten bij typering agrarische bedrijven in Nederland. Wageningen, Wageningen Economic Research, Rapport 2023-100.
ISO certification Centre for Economic Information (for the theme Economic |Information within the Statutory Research Tasks for the ministry of LNV)
The Internal project cyclus of WEcR. Yearly review of the project plan and review of the overall project results, but also reviews of several products (publications, calculation scheme etc.).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not requested for this reference year.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
For a clear definition of groups of companies for reporting (to policy makers and other stakeholders) and for national and international research, the EU has developed a typology of agricultural holdings. For translating this to the Dutch situation SO’s are calculated, and are used in the Netherlands and the EU (FSS)
With the SO (standard results) calculation module, external users (farmers, local governments) can easily determine the company size and the company type of a company.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
The data (SO, SOC) are often used by researchers, policy makers and stakeholders in the agribusiness. As data in the Agricultural Census, and the online tool ‘the calculation model’.
If there are questions from abroad or researchers, by e-mail or by phone the project team gives explanations and is answering the questions etc.
For researchers and policy makers it is important to equal results/analyses of farms with different structures by using a uniform method.
12.3. Completeness
Only the products which are asked for in the national FSS, there is a need to calculate a SOC.
Products with a lower SO total of 5 mln. SO have a lower priority for an own SOC (then they get a group norm of quite similar products)
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
The data completeness is high
See also 12.3
see 13.1 13.2 13.3
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The accuracy is overall high, using (long term) sources and a good network. For some small crops groupnorms are used
13.2. Sampling error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not requested for this reference year.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not requested for this reference year.
14.1. Timeliness
It is succeeded to offer the SOC before 1 January 2024.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not requested for this reference year.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not requested for this reference year.
14.2. Punctuality
The SOC are delivered on time and passed the validation. so far no questions by ESTAT about this.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not requested for this reference year.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Comparisons are made on national level.
In research also between countries.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not requested for this reference year.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The results of the new SOC are compared with the previous one.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Three years are compared.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not requested for this reference year.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not requested for this reference year.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not requested for this reference year.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not requested for this reference year.
Proper use is made of external data and information to reduce administrative burdens of calculating new SOC’s
17.1. Data revision - policy
Sometimes in regional research (in the Netherlands) we work with different groups (based on a larger number of holdings, which corresponds as much as possible to the actual agricultural structure in the region to be investigated).
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not requested for this reference year.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not requested for this reference year.
18.1. Source data
FADN Netherlands, with additional information for small products by external sources as Wur website. or relevant networks (advisers in agriculture).
For more information, you can consult the Eurostat glossary page on the standard output.
13 December 2023
The standard output coefficient of an agricultural product (crop or livestock), abbreviated as SOC, is the average monetary value of the agricultural output at farm-gate price, in euro per hectare or per head of livestock.
Other concepts and definitions are presented in the Typology handbook (RI/CC 1500 rev 5) prepared by the Committee for the Farm Accountancy Data Network.
Standard Output Coefficients (SOC) are collected under the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), by FADN regions in each country. FADN regions are mapped with NUTS regions. For more information on NUTS regions, see the NUTS classification.
Article 4 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1198/2014 states on the reference period for the standard output: “For the purposes of calculating standard outputs for the Union farm structure survey for year N, as referred to in Article 5b(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1217/2009, the reference period consists of the five successive years from year N-5 to year N-1. The standard outputs shall be determined using average basic data calculated over the reference period laid down in the first paragraph and commonly referred to as ‘N-3 standard outputs’. These N-3 standard outputs shall be updated to take account of economic trends at least each time a Union farm structure survey is carried out.”
For IFS 2020 this means that the Standard Output Coefficients required will be those calculated on the period of 5 years that spans from 2018 to 2022 (SOC2020)
The accuracy is overall high, using (long term) sources and a good network. For some small crops groupnorms are used
Units of measure utilised in the SOC data set are listed in the data transmission file to Eurostat by product. In general terms the used ones are EUR/100HEAD, EUR/100M2, EUR/HA, EUR/HEAD, EUR/HIVE.
Not requested for this reference year.
FADN Netherlands, with additional information for small products by external sources as Wur website. or relevant networks (advisers in agriculture).
SOC data are published on Eurostat "Additional data - Eurostat (europa.eu)" page. The publication of the data normally takes place within N+1 year after the deadline for the data transmission. Nevertheless updates of the data can occur, triggered by DG Agri and Eurostat revision and post-validation checks.
It is succeeded to offer the SOC before 1 January 2024.
Comparisons are made on national level.
In research also between countries.
The results of the new SOC are compared with the previous one.
