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Final results from Scotland’s June Agricultural Census were published on 8 October, with a reference date of 1 June 2026. Sole-right agricultural area totalled 5.16 million hectares, equal to 66% of Scotland’s land area.
Cereals and oilseeds covered 447,700 hectares, 5.4% below the five-year average. Cattle numbers rose 0.7% from 2025 to 1.67 million, while sheep numbered 6.50 million, 2.2% below their five-year average.
The census also reports land use, crops, livestock and agricultural workers. The government notes that some comparisons use administrative-data estimates and that no census was conducted in 2022.
The results are a census snapshot anchored to 1 June, not a live count or a forecast. Comparisons should retain the stated reference years and averages, particularly where the statistical series used an estimated 2022 value. Livestock counts are reported at the census reference date.