Agriculture is a term that describes the farming of cultivated crops and livestock. 

In the middle of the 20th century, most Finns still lived in the countryside and participated in agricultural production. However, because of the development and mechanization of agriculture during the last half-century, the number of people living on the countryside has decreased. Today, only 40 % of the Finnish population continues to live in rural areas. 

The regions of Southern, Southwestern and Northwestern Finland comprise the nation's main agricultural region. This region is where most Finnish farms are located and where the majority of the nation's agricultural production is produced. In contrast, Northern and Eastern Finland consist of scarcely populated rural areas. 

The rural areas surrounding urban centers are where most of the Finnish rural population is concentrated. These rural areas are peaceful and have a lot of space for families, but they are also close enough to cities in order to make commuting to the cities for work feasible. 

The Finnish agriculture is the basis of our food production. A large portion of the groceries and foodstuffs used in Finland are domestic. In addition, the agricultural sector is an important provider of jobs and livelihoods. Together with other forms of food production, agriculture employs over 300 000 Finns. Most of the Finnish agricultural income comes from the sale of agricultural goods. However, many farmers are also supported by various kinds of agricultural aid from the EU and the Finnish government. 

Local food is food that is produced near the place where it is consumed. The origin, producer and manufacturer of local food is always known, and it is often of a higher quality and more fresh than non-local food. Eating local food is good for the environment, as large amounts of fossil fuels are not needed to transport the product to the consumer. Organic food is produced with natural methods, without pesticides or artificial fertilizers. In organic food production, livestock are also given more freedom and possibilities to live fulfilling, happy lives.

In Finnish agricultural households, secondary occupations are common. Because agriculture alone is not an economically feasible livelihood for many farmers, secondary occupations help these farmers to gain a more stable livelihood. For many agricultural producers, forestry provides an important secondary occupation.