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41% of the Belgian farmers and horticulturists are participating in Social Media networks on a regular basis. Facebook and YouTube are by far the most popular. These are the results of an online survey amongst more than 300 Belgian farmers and horticulturists, which has been executed by AgriDirect – Specialist in Agrimarketing – in January 2012.
15% of the agricultural and horticultural farmers in the Netherlands possess a smartphone and / or a tablet. One quarter of them scan occasionally QR-codes with it. This occurs in an online survey of agricultural market research agency AgriDirect among 500 Dutch farmers.
10% of the Dutch farmers have a smartphone, 3% a tablet and 2% possess both a smartphone and a tablet.
From these agricultural smartphone and / or tablet possessors, 27% occasionally scan a QR-code in for example a magazine. On the contrary, 23% of the agricultural smartphone and tablet possessors do not know what a QR-code is. Furthermore, 18% use agricultural app’s.
The smartphone-possession by farmers is still much lower than the national average. According to the latest numbers, about 42% of the Dutch people possess a smartphone and 8% a tablet (source: Telecompaper, August 2011).
About 500 farmers completed an online survey about the use of social media and other online communication tools, after being invited by e-mail. Considering the online character of this survey we have to assume that the participants are ‘the online oriented and / or active farmers’. Therefore, this survey is not representative for the complete population.
The use of Social Media is increasing in the Dutch agricultural sector. 48% of the Dutch farmers and horticulturists use Social Networks, in 2010 this was about 40%. YouTube, Hyves and Facebook are most popular. This occurs in an online survey of the Dutch market research agency AgriDirect among 500 farmers.
Dairy farmers are most active on Social Media: 51% of them uses it on a regular basis. With 41%, the Social Media use is much lower among pig and poultry farmers.
Facebook on the rise
A year ago farmers were not really into Facebook. At that time, 11% of the Social Media users were active on this platform. Now, 37% of the farmers who claim to be active on Social Media, use Facebook. YouTube and Hyves are still popular, but Twitter and LinkedIn are also on the rise in this group.
Important information source
Social Media is, according to the farmers, an important source of information about materials and machines for their company. Three-quarter of the agricultural Social Media users states to keep up with the news about such products through Social Media. Moreover, 19% wants to receive information of suppliers through Social Media.
About 500 Dutch farmers and horticulturists completed in November 2011 a survey about the use of Social Media and other online communication tools. In October 2010, AgriDirect conducted a similar research among 400 Dutch farmers and horticulturists.
Considering the online character of this survey we have to assume that the participants are ‘the online oriented and / or active farmers’. Therefore, this survey is not representative for the complete population.
Vegetable under glass sector more positive
The percentage of glasshouse horticulturists with expansion plans is just about the same as those with plans to end or phase out their business, namely almost 9%. The glasshouse vegetable sector is more positive than the average with 11% having plans to extend.
This according to the Dutch ‘Glasshouse Horticulture market scan 2011 of AgriDirect. In this market scan 4,000 Dutch glasshouse horticulturists were approached to gather information about their future and investment plans.
In the total group of glasshouse horticulturists the percentage of those with plans for extension or succession decreased from 9.5% in 2010 to 8.8% in 2011. The percentage of those willing to end increased in the same period from 8.4% to 8.9%. The same trends apply to companies with 2 ha or more of glass, although here the percentage of expansion plans is higher and the percentages with plans to end much lower than the sector’s average.
Growers of vegetables under glass more positive than average
Of the growers of vegetables under glass 11% have plans to enlarge the company or to arrange for succession at short notice. This is much higher than the sector’s average. Also the percentage of growers in this group with plans to end or phase out their business is one per cent lower than in the total of the glasshouse horticultural sector. Growers of one-year garden and flowerbed plants are least positive, only 5.5% wants to expand, 9.8% wants to stop or phase out.
Poultry farmers still switch most
Last year 6% of the Dutch dairy farmers switched to another animal nutrition supplier. This is considerably less than their colleagues in the pig and poultry farming sector.
Since 2002 AgriDirect examines the loyalty of farmers to their animal nutrition supplier. This year again they were asked who their animal nutrition supplier is, how satisfied they are with this supplier and if they are willing to talk to a competitor. Moreover, AgriDirect inventoried the background of the farmers who indeed switched to another supplier. In 2011 about 5.200 pig and poultry farmers and more than 15.500 dairy farmers have been interviewed by the AgriDirect telemarketers.
Poultry farmers still switch most
For years poultry farmers switch most compared to pig and dairy farmers. In 2011, over 14% of the poultry farmers switched to another animal nutrition supplier. In 2010 this was about 15%. In the pig farming sector 10% switched supplier; 1% more than last year.
The percentage of intensive livestock farmers in Flanders interested in expanding or succeeding their company in the short term is about 18%. This appears in the yearly intensive livestock market scan Flanders of AgriDirect. In the summer of 2011 about 2.000 pig farmers and 400 poultry farmers in Flanders were approached by phone and asked about their future and investment plans.
Over 5% of the pig farmers is thinking about ending or phasing out their business. In the poultry sector this percentage is about 3%.
In comparison: In the Netherlands 31% of the pig farmers and 26% of the poultry farmers pronounced in May-June to have expansion plans, and the ending plans are for both groups about 9% and 5%.
Poultry farmers choose more often for new constructions
Also the investment plans concerning stables were inventoried by AgriDirect. Poultry farmers with investment plans choose twice as often for new constructions (16%) over renovations (8%). Pig farmers are as interested in new constructions as in renovation (both about 15%).
Flemish dairy farmers have more expansion plans than last year. Moreover, the percentage dairy farmers with plans to end their business is decreased slightly. This appears in the yearly dairy farming market scan Flanders of AgriDirect.
In the summer of 2011 about 1.650 Flemish dairy farmers with at least 50 cows were approached by phone and asked about their future and investment plans.
The percentage dairy farmers with expansion or succession plans is increased from 24,4% in 2010 to 26,1% in 2011. In the same period, the percentage dairy farmers with plans to end or phase out their business is decreased from 1,9% to 1,0%.
Investing in cow stable most popular
During this inventory, also the investment plans of the Flemish dairy farmers were asked. It appears that investments in cow stables are most popular this year, with 13,4%. Investment plans in clamp silos (12,1%) and manure storage (10,5%) are less popular.
But more plans to end as well
For the first time in three years, the percentage of Dutch fruit growers with expansion plans has increased. This year, 10,5% of the fruit growers indicated to have expansion or succession plans, in 2010 this percentage was 9,5%. At the same time, the percentage of fruit growers with plans to end has increased and investment plans for fruit storage and refrigeration are falling.
This information is part of the yearly Dutch ‘Fruit growing market scan’ of AgriDirect. In this market scan all Dutch fruit growers with more than 2 hectares of fruit are approached to gather information about their future and investment plans.
More expansion plans, but more plans to end as well
After a heavy decrease in expansion plans in 2010, there is a slight recovery in 2011. Nevertheless, the level of 2008 (16,1%) is not reached yet.
For the first time in years, the percentage of fruit growers with plans to end their business has increased. In 2010 8,8% of the Dutch fruit growers indicated to have plans to end or phase out, in 2011 this is 10,9%.
Growing interest in second hand tractors
Again the number of fruit growers interested in second hand tractors has increased. In two years’ time this percentage increased from 2,0% to 4,2%. On the other hand, the investment plans in new tractors are declining. As a result, the total investment plans concerning tractors in the fruit growing sector are nearly at the same level as last year.
Concerning fruit storage and refrigeration, both in case of expansion and renewal, the percentage of fruit growers with investment plans declined again in 2011.
Almost one fifth of the German wine-growers have plans for expansion. Moreover, a lot of wine-growers are planning to invest in tractors and field management software.
This is one of the results of the first German Viticulture market scan executed by AgriDirect. During this market scan, that took place in July/August 2011, a specialized telemarketing team asked more than 3.600 German wine-growers about their future and investment plans.
17,2% of the wine-growers have plans for expansion or succession. Only 1,5% wants to end or phase out their business at short notice. The vast majority of the wine-growers (81,3%) will ‚continue without changes’.
More than 7% of the wine-growers are planning to invest in a new or second hand tractor within two years. Most of these plans are scheduled in 2011 and 2012. Around 4% want to invest in field management software at short notice.
Last year, 43,1% of the Dutch pig farmers had investment plans for an air scrubber. In one year’s time this percentage dropped to 29,5%. At present 33,7% of the Dutch pig farmers uses an air scrubber to reduce ammonia emissions.
This is one of the results of the annual Intensive Livestock Farming market scan executed by AgriDirect. During this market scan, that took place in May/June 2011, a specialized telemarketing team asked around 3.600 Dutch pig farmers about their future and investment plans.
Air scrubbers are by far the most frequently used to reduce ammonia emissions. Balance balls (0,8%) and manure treatment products (0,7%) are less popular. In the category ‘others’ pig farmers mentioned i.e.: reduction of the number of animals, a ‘green-label’ stable and the placement of sloping walls in the slurry pit. Remarkable is the percentage of pig farmers (23,0%) that will not take any measurement. A plausible explanation for this is that a large part of them will not continue their business.
Both porker and sow farmers are the most willing to take measurements to reduce ammonia emissions. 43,8% already placed an air scrubber and another 33% will do so at short notice. 27,3% of the porker breeders have an air scrubber and 24,7% has investment plans. For sow breeders these percentages are resp. 31,7% and 33,2%.
The percentage of farmers that will not take any measurement is 14,1% for both porker and sow breeders, 21,8% for sow breeders and 30,4% for porker breeders.
Most of the pig farmers with investment plans for an air scrubber already know when they will buy it. A large part of the investments will take place this year or during the first half of 2012. Nevertheless, 27,5% does not know yet when the investment will take place.
Currently AgriDirect inventories the measurements taken by Belgian pig farmers. The results of this inventory will be published in August.
