Agriculture
Landbruk (agriculture) is the collective term for industries that use the land as their basis for production. It covers farming, forestry, horticulture and market gardening, and its purpose is to supply food, feed, fibre, timber and biofuel, as well as to keep the cultural landscape in hevd (active use and upkeep).
In Norway, cultivated land makes up around 3.5% of the land area, while forest covers about 38%. The sector has gone through major structural change since the 1960s: the number of holdings has fallen sharply, but the total agricultural area has stayed relatively stable. Settlement patterns, grazing use and production structure are tracked by Statistisk sentralbyrå and Landbruksdirektoratet.
The legal framework is jordlova (the Land Act) and konsesjonsloven (the Concession Act). Section 9 of jordlova prohibits the reallocation of cultivated and cultivable land to other purposes, and the municipality must make a separate assessment in which national soil protection targets are weighed against development needs. Konsesjonsloven and the residence requirement limit who can buy an agricultural property and require, as a general rule, that a new owner lives on and runs the property.
Land is classified under AR5, managed by NIBIO, which distinguishes between fully cultivated land, surface-cultivated land, infield pasture, forest and other land. The classification is the basis for production subsidies, planning work and statistics. In the land use element of the municipal master plan, agricultural interests appear as the land use purpose LNF (landbruk, natur og friluftsliv: agriculture, nature and outdoor recreation) under section 11-7 of the Planning and Building Act, and building on LNF land requires a plan amendment or a dispensation.
In Placepoint, AR5 and LNF zones are shown as a map layer, so you can quickly see whether a property or a plan area affects cultivated land or another agricultural resource.
How the dataset appears on the map
The dataset is part of the map layer Agriculture:
From Placepoint's dictionary: Agriculture
More information: Lovdata: Jordlova, NIBIO: AR5 arealressurskart, Store norske leksikon: landbruk
English: Agriculture.
Frequently asked questions
What is agriculture?
Landbruk is a collective term for farming and forestry, horticulture and market gardening. Agricultural land is protected by jordlova, and reallocation to development requires a political decision in the municipality.
How is agricultural land shown in land use plans?
Agricultural areas are shown in the AR5 maps and in the land use element of the municipal master plan with the land use purpose LNF (agriculture, nature and outdoor recreation). Development on LNF land requires a plan amendment or a dispensation.
Can agricultural land be reallocated to housing?
Reallocation of agricultural land is governed by jordlova. An application for reallocation must go to the municipality, and for cultivated land of good quality the threshold is high. State guidance is strict.
What is an agricultural property?
An agricultural property is a property whose main purpose is farming or forestry. Such properties are subject to concession and residence requirements under konsesjonsloven, and cannot be sold freely to anyone.
Can I see agricultural land in Placepoint?
Yes, Placepoint shows the AR5 land classification and LNF zones on the municipal master plan map, so you can quickly see whether a property or a plan area contains agricultural land.