Maintaining family farming

The average norwegian farm size is 22 hectares. In milk production the average herd size is 24 cows. Behind these figures there is a wide range from very small to substantially larger farms. However, within Norwegian topography, farms have to be relatively small-scale.

As in all countries, agriculture in Norway need to increase in efficiency and productivity. The number of farmers has decreased substantially during recent decades. Farmers expand their production, to some degree by buying neighbouring farms, but more often by renting land.

Forestry is also an important part of Norwegian agriculture. Some 20 per cent of Norway is cultivated forest, a substantial part of which is owned by family farmers. Nearly 100 per cent of Norwegian farms are owned and run on a family basis.