Glossary:Sample survey
Contrary to a census, which collects data about all individual units of a population (e.g. all agricultural holdings), a survey collects data only for a sub-part of the population. This part is called a sample. The data collected through a survey is then used to estimate the characteristics of the whole population. In this case it has to be ensured that the sample is representative of the population in question.
Data on farm structure has been collected at regular intervals since 1966, both by full censuses which are carried out every 10 years and via intermediate sample surveys every 3 or 4 years. The core data collection for the reference year 2020 shall be carried out as a census, while the core data collections for the survey reference years 2023 and 2026 may be carried out as sample surveys. When data collection of modules is carried out on samples of agricultural holdings, Member States must ensure that the weighted survey results are statistically representative of agricultural holdings within each region. They must also be designed to meet the precision requirements set out in Annex V of Regulation (EU) 2018/1091.