An agricultural holding is a single unit, both technically and economically, operating under a single management and which undertakes agricultural activities within Spain, either as its primary or secondary activity. The holding may also provide other supplementary (non-agricultural) products and services.

It is a single unit both technically and economically and this is characterised by a common use of labour and means of production (machinery, land, facilities, fertilisers, etc.). This means that if the plots of the holding are located in two or more municipalities, they cannot be very far apart geographically. It must also have a single management, although this may be carried out by two or more persons acting jointly.

The list of crop and animal production activities is based on division 01 of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE Rev. 2). The detailed list of crop activities referred to in the definition of agricultural holding is set out in annex II of this document.

In particular, it includes holdings that maintain their land, which is no longer used for production purposes, in good agricultural and environmental condition, in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003.

Agricultural holding can therefore be defined as an agricultural unit (land and/or livestock), under a single management, located in a given geographical location and which uses the same means of production.

Special cases:

a) The following shall be registered in the census as a single holding, provided that it has a single management and is a single unit both technically and economically:

- A holding that has been divided up among several persons for tax or other reasons.

- Two or more holdings which were previously independent holdings and have been integrated under the management of a single holder.

- Farms or land located in different municipalities, managed by the same holder, with the same means of production.

b) Land previously used for agricultural purposes and which, although still intended for agricultural purposes, has not been farmed during the census reference period, shall be included in the census as part of the corresponding holding. Likewise, uncultivated land shall be included in the census even if its only use is hunting (hunting grounds).

c) The following are also included:

- Livestock holdings with bulls, boars, rams and billy-goats kept for breeding purposes.

- Agricultural holdings of research institutes, religious communities, schools, etc.

- Agricultural holdings of industrial enterprises.

- Common holdings consisting of permanent grassland, pastures, horticultural land or other Utilised Agricultural Area, provided that this area is farmed on behalf of the corresponding local administration (e.g. land rented for use by animals).

- Livestock holdings with no animals present on the reference date due to temporary breaks in the production cycle (e.g. regular sanitary cleaning of animal housing, disease outbreaks or similar reasons).

d) The following shall not be considered agricultural holdings, unless they carry out other activities which justify their inclusion:

- Kennels.

- Pet shops, abattoirs, etc. (without rearing).

- Companies that own livestock if they are not involved in rearing that livestock.

- Holdings with working or draught animals if the unit is not involved in rearing these animals.

- Zoos, farms breeding animals for fur and farms breeding species such as dogs, cats, ornamental birds, etc.

- Plots of land which, on the day of the interview, are developed or on which development work has begun.

- Agricultural services companies.