There were 9.1 million farms in the EU in 2020, the vast majority of which (an estimated 93%) can be classified as family farms (i.e. farms under family management where 50% or more of the agricultural labour force was provided by family workers). Family farms dominate the structure of EU agriculture in terms of the number of holdings, their contribution to agricultural employment and, to a lesser degree, the area of land that they cultivate and the value of the output they generate.
Almost six in every ten farms (about 57%) were operated only by the holder and family members. On a further 36% of farms, family labour accounted for at least 50% of total labour.
Source:
Eurostat, 24 October 2023