Agricultural Land Classification

Agricultural land refers to land utilised for livestock farming and crop cultivation, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). This encompasses arable land, land under permanent crops, and land under permanent pastures. Globally, agricultural land covers approximately 38% of the world’s land area, while in the UK, it accounts for 70% of the total land area.

The HS2 London-West Midlands Environmental Statement, published by the Department for Transport in November 2013, introduces the concept of ‘agricultural land classification’ (ALC). This classification system, devised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, categorises agricultural land based on its physical or chemical characteristics and their long-term impact on agricultural use. The grading ranges from 1 (excellent quality) to 5 (very poor quality), with each grade representing varying degrees of suitability for agricultural activities.

• Grade 1: Characterised by excellent quality with minimal limitations to agricultural use, enabling the cultivation of a wide range of crops with high and consistent yields.
• Grade 2: Features very good-quality land with minor limitations, allowing for the growth of diverse agricultural and horticultural crops, albeit with slightly lower or variable yields compared to Grade 1.
• Grade 3: exhibits moderate limitations, impacting crop selection, cultivation methods, and yield levels. It is less versatile than Grades 1 and 2.
• Grade 4: Indicates poor quality land with severe limitations, mainly suitable for grass with occasional arable crops. Yields are variable, and the land is often utilised for grazing or rough grazing.
• Grade 5: Represents very poor quality land with severe limitations, restricting use to permanent pasture or rough grazing.

Grade 3 is further subdivided into agricultural subgrades 3a and 3b, distinguishing between good and moderate-quality agricultural land based on its capability to produce yields of various crops.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) glossary of statistical terms defines agricultural land as including arable land, land under permanent crops, and land under permanent meadows and pastures. This definition aligns with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA), which identifies specific sub-categories of agricultural land such as cultivated land, pasture land, and other agricultural land, excluding recreational land and plantations.