Infographics: full references

Fact 1: Farmland represents 40% of total European Union land

1 Farm Structure Survey 2013, Eurostat
2 Eurostat, About EU

Fact 2: From 1993 to 2013, the EU has lost 12% of its farmland ≈ the area of Romania

1 Data extracted from Eurostat - consult our own table on UAA evolution 1990-2015, per country
2 Eurostat, About EU

Fact 3: Percentage of European farmland affected by: erosion by water and wind: 16%; excess applications of nitrates and phosphates 18%; contamination by pesticides 19%.

“Estimates produced by the European Environment Agency suggest that erosion by water and wind affects 16% of European land; while contamination by pesticides affects 19% and excess application of nitrates and phosphates affects 18%."
in: European Parliament, Economic and Scientific Policy Department, Study on Land Degradation and Desertification 2008, p.6

Fact 4: The EU has lost 30% of its farmland birds since 1990

“Since 1990, common farmland birds have declined by 30% in Europe”
in: European Environment Agency (EEA), The European environment – state and outlook 2015, European briefings, Agriculture, p.4

Fact 5: 30 to 50% of European rivers and lakes are polluted

“Analysis of the pressures causing poor status shows that between 30 % and 50 % of the surface water bodies are affected by pollution pressures, with diffuse sources (principally due to agriculture) being the most important pollutant pressure.”
in: European Environment Agency (EEA), European waters — current status and future challenges – A Synthesis, 2012, p.14

Fact 6: 40% of farmland used to grow agricultural products we consume lies outside the EU

Figure ”The EU land footprint”: 40% land used (for EU final consumption of agricultural products) (lies) outside the EU
In: Friends of the Earth Europe, The True Cost of Consumption, July 2016, p.10

Fact 7: 73% of EU land use is related to the consumption of animal products

Figure “EU total land footprint by product type in 2010”: “73% EU land footprint is animal products - 196 million ha”
in ibid., p. 12.

Fact 8: : 80% of farms in the EU are less than 10 ha. They represent 10% of EU farmland. 3% of farms in the EU are larger than 100 ha. Yet they represent 50% of EU farmland

Source: Eurostat, Farm Structure Survey 2013

Fact 9: Between 2003 and 2013, the EU lost 4.2 million farms. 96% of them are small farms (<10ha)

Source: Eurostat, Farm Structure Survey 2003 and 2013

Fact 10: The average farm size has increased by 40% in 10 years

Source: Eurostat, Farm Structure Survey 2003 and 2013

Fact 12: Farming corporations manage 26% of EU farmland

“As regards farm size, corporate farms are concentrated in the higher size classes and account for 26% of agricultural area, while family farms cover around 69% and group holdings 5%.”
Source: The European Commission, Structure and dynamics of EU farms: changes, trends and policy relevance, EU Agricultural Economics Briefs, October 2013, p.10

Fact 13: The average size of corporate farms is 150 ha; the average size of family farm is 10 ha

“On average, corporate farms (152 ha/holding) are about 15 times bigger than family farms (10 ha/holding)”
Source: The European Commission, Structure and dynamics of EU farms: changes, trends and policy relevance, EU Agricultural Economics Briefs, October 2013, p.10

Fact 14: 325 000 full time equivalent agricultural jobs disappear every year in the EU

Source: data extracted from Eurostat - consult our own table on the number of agricultural work unit (AWU) - evolution 1973-2015, per country and for the EU

Fact 15: Europe has lost a quarter of its farmers, 3.8 million people, in less than 10 years

Source: data extracted from Eurostat - consult our own table on the number of farm holders - evolution 2005-2013, per country and for the EU