UK workforce jobs: agriculture, forestry and fishing
UK workforce jobs: agriculture, forestry and fishing stood at 372 thousands in Q2 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Jobs by industry and sector table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q2 1978 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Jobs by industry and sector table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workforce jobs by industry | |||||||||||
| A Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 372 | 355 | 338 | 380 | 358 | 348 | 358 | 355 | 350 | 371 | |
| E Water supply, sewerage and waste | 247 | 246 | 241 | 240 | 240 | 245 | 247 | 242 | 241 | 244 |
Understanding UK workforce jobs: agriculture, forestry and fishing
Primary production involving crop cultivation, animal husbandry, forestry management, and commercial fishing across the United Kingdom determines this specific employment count. The measure tallies both traditional farm labour and self-employed farmers, incorporating seasonal migrant workers where captured by regulatory frameworks. Industrial manufacturing and food processing are strictly excluded, remaining in separate manufacturing classifications.
Interpreting these statistics requires acute awareness of seasonal weather patterns and harvest cycles that dictate hiring peaks. Year-on-year comparisons offer greater analytical value than consecutive quarters due to these predictable agricultural rhythms. A frequent error involves assuming changes in this job count reflect shifts in total domestic land use, given that mechanisation alters labour requirements independently of acreage.
Frequently asked questions
- Are seasonal fruit pickers included?
- Temporary harvest labour is counted if captured through official farm surveys and payroll records.
- Where is food processing recorded?
- Food manufacturing facilities are classified under production industries rather than primary agriculture.
- Does forestry cover logging operations?
- Timber extraction and woodland management fall directly within this industrial division.