Agriculture’s contribution to the economy has been small but stable in absolute terms since 1990, such that by 2003-05 the sector contributed 0.5% to GDP and 1.3% of employment, among the lowest shares across OECD countries [1] (Figure 3.17.1). While agricultural value added (annual growth at current prices) remained stable over the period 1990 to 2004 (allowing for temporary fluctuations), in real terms it increased over the period 1986 to 1998, but from 1998 to 2003 it was the only sector in the economy where growth declined by nearly 5% per annum [1, 2]. The area farmed increased by about 1.5% from 1990-92 to 2002-04, now accounting for over 50% of the total land area (Figure 3.17.2). Much of the increase in area cultivated was accounted for by the growth in area under pasture and maize silage, with the area under cereals declining [3, 4]. But some of the apparent expansion in area farmed is, in part, due to improvements in the land registration system linked to changes in agricultural policy. There was an increase in the production of bovine animals (for slaughterings and export of live animals) in the first half of the 1990s, and a slight decrease from 1996 onwards, especially in 2001 due to the BSE crisis. The production of pigs (for slaughtering and export as live animals) increased significantly in the 1990s and went through a cyclic variation from 1999 to 2004 reaching a minimum in 2002. Milk production was remarkably stable over the period 1990 to 2004, due to the EU-wide system of limitation of production. As the milk yield per cow has risen considerably during this period, the number of milk cows has declined [1].