The Average Age of Hill Farmers

The perceived wisdom is that the average age of hill farmers is increasing out of control and that they are much older than other farmers.  In doing some research for a paper I am writing I came across the Rural Business Research website that provides average age by farm type.  I reproduce the table here:

Farm Type	Average age
ALL FARM TYPES	53.30
Cropping	54.50
Cereals	54.32
General Cropping	53.99
Horticulture	55.74
Livestock	52.48
Dairy	51.40
Grazing livestock (lowland)	54.06
Grazing lifestock (LFA)	52.15
Mixed and other types	52.63
Pigs	48.75
Poultry	53.93
Mixed	52.84

 I have not researched this in depth and it is possible the detail explains why this is not as it seems (lies, damn lies & statistics).  However, cheer up hill farmers, you may not be as far out on a limb as you thought you were, mind you the figures do not necessarily change how you feel.