Agricultural Industry

Up until the latter half of the 20th Century, agriculture was the major economic activity in Pembrokeshire. While other industries such as mining, fishing and shipbuilding have come and gone, agriculture has always been the prominent industry in the county.

The land around the County has been farmed by man for thousands of years, but it is only the past 500 years that has seen the evolvement of this dominating industry.

During this period the industry has seen many changes and improvements. Some have been the result of introducing new farming methods, such as crop rotation, while others have resulted from the introduction of new tools and machines.

The past 50 years have seen a decline in the number of farm owners and workers as the industry experienced a number of setbacks. The most recent impacts have resulted from outbreaks of BSE and Foot and Mouth Disease.

This section starts by looking at the origins of the industry and how it evolved into such a dominant industry. It then identifies the types of farming undertaken in the county and the machinery used. The final page looks at the impacts that have contributed to the rise and fall of agriculture.