The land-based workforce is predominantly male.  72% of the workforce is male compared to 55% in the workforce nationally.

Across the industries, gender profiles vary significantly ranging from 86% male employment within farriery to 80% female employment within floristry.  More gender-balanced workforces are found within environmental conservation and parts of the horticultural and landscaping industries.

Projects to address the under-representation of women in non-traditional areas of employment have been initiated by Lantra.  One project, ‘Releasing the Skills Potential of Women in Rural Somerset’, aims to address the needs of women based in rural areas by increasing the skills of those in current employment and the employability of those currently inactive.  This is to be achieved through encouraging women to participate in training and development, and to reduce the disadvantage they face by improving their prospects through information, advice and guidance.

Source: Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Key Drivers of Skill Demand 2005 and Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Analysis of Current and Future Skills Needs 2005

For more information on employment levels, employment status and future trends by gender see:

Ethnic minorities are significantly under-represented across the environmental and land-based workforce.  Only 0.7% of the workforce is from minority ethnic groups, compared to 5% nationally.  The distribution varies across the industries.  For example, within agriculture there are virtually no people from minority ethnic groups compared to 3.3% within the environmental conservation industry workforce, which is the highest across the sector’s workforce.  This illustrates the fact that many ethnic groups have historically settled in towns rather than in rural areas. 

Source: Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Key Drivers of Skill Demand 2005

Key statistics on the sector in the UK suggest that:

• the average age of the sector is 42 years, compared to 39 years in the economy as a whole
• just under 80% of proprietors are aged 45 years and over
• 33% in agriculture are aged 55 years and over
• 11% of workers are aged 16-24 years
• 20% of employed staff in the sector are aged 25-34 years
• 24% aged 35-44 years
• 21% aged 45-54 years
• 16% are 55-64 years
• 7% are aged 65 years and over

By 2015, it is expected that 55% of the workforce will be aged 40 years and over.

Veterinary nursing and the equine industry have a much younger profile, compared to the agricultural crops and livestock industries.

There is a shift from urban to rural areas with population growth in rural areas three times that of urban areas.  This increase is, however, not of young people who are required by the sector as its current workforce approaches retirement age, but rather, young people are leaving rural areas and are being replaced by older individuals or retired people.

Source: Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Overview 2005, Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Key Drivers of Skill Demand 2005 and Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Analysis of Current and Future Skills Needs 2005

There is an apparent lack of data regarding disabled people working in the sector.