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In Order To Achieve A Comparative Benchmark For The Case Study, The Areas ...


In order to achieve a comparative benchmark for the case study, the areas selected have been assessed against similar regions within other member states of the European Union. In this instance, information from the EU itself and various sources within the selected nation states, have been used.

Chapter 5 Findings, Analysis and Discussion
To enable an analysis of the hypothesis that was set at the commencement of this paper, it was decided to use two distinct UK agricultural regions, these being Cornwall and Wales for the reasons that have been outlined previously.
Agricultural regions Cornwall
Cornwall is set in the South West of the UK. Although it is traditionally an agricultural region, it has perhaps become better known since the Second World War as a tourist area. Nevertheless, it still has a significant agricultural base within its economy, which is still seen as one of the primary industries for the county (Cornwall County Council 2007), with a growth in the number of holdings during the period from 1997 to 2001 (see figure 4), which compares favourably with the movement in England as a whole. However, the industry has seen a significant reduction in the areas committed to the raising of cattle and sheep livestock, which reflects the overall difficulties that have been generally experienced in this area as a result of disease epidemics such as BSE and also the inroads being made by foreign imports.
Despite recent declines, it is seen as one of the foundations for strong rural communities, but the industry can only retain this position by increasing employment, which through current agricultural methods and strategies is not happening.
Figure 4 Farming in Cornwall

However, despite the apparent improvement seen above, this has not translated itself into improvements on the employment issue. As can be seen from the following table (figure 5), the numbers of people employed within the agricultural industry are continuing to fall. Despite the fact that in comparison to England, Cornwall has suffered less, the Cornwall County Council (2007) do not see this downward trend in their region being reversed in the immediate future, with the majority of the remaining workforce consisting of owners and tenants (Cornwall County Council 2007, 3.38).


Figure 5 Agricultural employment Cornwall

Agricultural regions Wales
Agriculture in Wales, because of the internal terrain, is most known for its Hill Farming element. It has a substantially higher level of holdings than Cornwall, spread over a greater land mass (see figure 6).


Figure 6 Farms in Wales

Source: http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/publications/was2005/?


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