Agriculture During World War II

Agriculture underwent considerable changes during the war years. Because of difficulties getting food from other parts of the world Britain had to rely on home production and food rationing was introduced. The government encouraged people to "dig for victory" by using every available area of land for growing crops including gardens and parks in towns. With many men away fighting in the war, women had to become a large part of the agriculture workforce.

Key Facts and Figures

Between 1939 and 1944 in England and Wales:

• Arable land increased in area by 63%
• Wheat, barley and potato crops almost doubled
• Oats production rose by two thirds
• Total agricultural workers increased by 22%
• Cattle numbers increased by 6%
  
• Pig numbers decreased by 58%
  
• Fowl numbers decreased by 46%
  
• Sheep numbers decreased by 30%
  
• Hay production fell by one third
  
• Tractor numbers increased by 50% between 1942 and 1944.

Acreage of Crops

In June 1939 the agricultural area of England and Wales was 30,251,000 acres. This comprised 15,709,000 acres of permanent grass, 8,934,000 acres of arable land and 5,608,000 acres of rough grazing (of which 1,428,000 was on commons). A certain amount of old grassland had been ploughed up before the outbreak of war under the encouragement of the ploughing grant of £2 per acre. With war imminent, the conversion of grassland into arable land was increased both voluntarily and under directions served by the County War Agricultural Executive Committees.

The arable land area increased by 63% from 8,934,000 acres in 1939 to 14,566,000 acres in 1944 due to conversion from grassland. This compares to the maximum arable area during World War 1 of 12,399,000 acres in 1918. See the figures in the table below:

Thousands of acres

*The area under lucerne has been excluded from tillage and included under temporary grass before 1943 to preserve comparability with later years.

The total area of crops and grass declined by over 300,000 acres due to withdrawal of land for wartime purposes such as airfields, training areas and defense works etc.

The increased tillage area of 4,764,000 acres included 3,484,000 acres of corn and 526,000 acres of potatoes. The area under wheat rose by 1,380,000 acres (82%), barley by 811,000 acres (89%) and oats by 867,000 (64%). The potato acreage was an increase of 116% on the 1939 area. Comparisons of these figures for successive years showed some major changes when compared with pre-war acreage. For example, the wheat area increased by 889,000 acres between 1942 and 1943: the oats area by 735,000 acres between 1939 and 1940: and the potato area by 240,000 acres between 1941 and 1942. After the war, between 1948 and 1949, the area of crops and grass rose by 46,000 acres mainly due to the return to agricultural use of the land which had been taken during the war period for airfields and training areas etc.

Livestock Numbers

In June 1939, the cattle population was 6,770,000. By 1944 the figure was 7,197,000 despite the ploughing-up campaign and general shortages of feeding stuffs. Large reductions however were seen in other classes of livestock. Sheep numbers (including lambs) fell by 5,362,000 (30%), pigs by 2,052,000 (58%) and fowls by 24,091,000 (46%).

When compared with 1918, there were 1 million more cattle, but nearly 4 million fewer sheep and about 230,000 fewer pigs in 1944. The reduction in sheep numbers can be attributed mainly to the ploughing-up campaign, but the cattle figures together with the crop acreage show that a substantially greater output was obtained from the land than during the 1914-1918 war.

Agricultural Workers

In 1939 the total number of agricultural workers was 607,000. By 1944 it had increased to 741,000 an increase of 134,000 or 22%. Three quarters of this increase took place between 1940 and 1942. The increased numbers were made up largely by women and girls (an increase of 108,000 or 148%), both regular and casual workers, including a substantial proportion provided by the Women's Land Army. There was also an increase in the number of male casual workers. However, due to call up to the Forces, the number of regular male workers declined by 24,000 (5%).

From 1944, occupiers were required to furnish details of the numbers of members of the Women's Land Army and prisoners-of-war employed on the farm or holding. It is not known how these forms of labour were returned in previous years so comparisons year on year are not possible. However it appears that returns from occupiers have understated the numbers of these two categories. Figures from the county branches of the Women's Land Army and County War Agricultural Executive Committees are as follows:

The Women's Land Army continued until it was disbanded after the harvest of 1950 and the table below shows the numbers returned by occupiers together with POWs:

Agricultural Machinery

A fairly comprehensive inquiry was undertaken in 1942 to ascertain the number of machines and implements available to farmers. It showed separately the numbers owned by occupiers, contractors and County War Executive Committees. This exercise was repeated again in 1944. The most noticeable increase was in tracklaying and wheeled tractors where the numbers increased from 94,795 in May 1942 to 134,170 in April 1944.