The Scottish Government published the final results of its June 2026 Agricultural Census on 8 October. The census covers land use, crop areas, livestock and people working on agricultural holdings, with additional modules on housing, technology, feed supplements and peatlands. It estimated Scotland’s total sole-right agricultural area at 5.16 million hectares, equal to 66% of the country’s total land area.

The crop figures show different directions across seasons. Winter crop area was 6.9% above the five-year average, while spring crops were 16% below that benchmark, largely because of lower spring barley. Cereals and oilseeds covered 447,700 hectares, 5.4% below the five-year average. Soft fruit area was 1,800 hectares, the lowest since 2015, with the decline largely associated with strawberries.

Cattle numbers rose for the first time since 2021, reaching 1.67 million, up 0.7% from 2025. The census counted 6.50 million sheep, 2.2% below the five-year average, and 11.88 million poultry, down 4.4%. Pig numbers reached 327,700, the first increase since 2022, but remained 1.2% below the five-year average. These comparisons use different reference periods, so the year-on-year cattle change should not be compared directly with the five-year averages for other categories.

The agricultural workforce was estimated at 66,100 people, 700 fewer than in 2025 and a 1.0% annual decline. It was also 1.5% below the five-year average. Around 0.1% of respondents said they used the methane-reducing feed supplements Bovaer or SilvAir. The publication also reports that attitudes to peatland restoration were generally neutral and lack of information was the most commonly reported barrier.

The census is a statistical snapshot for June 2026, not a measure of annual output, farm income or future production. Area and livestock totals describe distinct measures and comparison bases. The results are published as final census estimates, but the summary does not quantify causal explanations for most changes. In particular, a return to cattle growth after several years of decline does not establish a lasting trend, and low reported supplement uptake is not an estimate of emissions reduction.