Farmers encouraged to take part in Farm Business Survey
20th January 2026
Farmers have been encouraged to take part in the Farm Business Survey (FBS), which helps build a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing the agricultural sector.
The Farm Business Survey (FBS) is an annual, independent survey collecting detailed financial and physical data from a representative sample of farms across England.
It has been running for almost 90 years and provides trusted evidence used by government, industry, researchers and farmers themselves.
The survey collects information on farm income, costs, outputs, land use, labour, assets and enterprise performance. This allows analysis of profitability, productivity and resilience across different farm types and regions.
Farms based in England with an annual turnover of £21,000 or more, across all major sectors including arable, horticulture, livestock, dairy, pigs and poultry, are welcome to take part.
Participation is voluntary and free. Farmers register online and then work with a local research officer once a year to securely share their financial and production data.
Recruitment and data collection take place on a rolling annual basis. There is no single public closing date, as the survey runs every year.
The survey is funded by DEFRA and delivered in England by Promar International on Defra’s behalf.
All data is anonymised, and individual farms are never identified. Results are published annually via the official statistical releases, sector and regional reports, and an online data dashboard.
The data informs agricultural policy, supports benchmarking, and underpins research and industry analysis, DEFRA explained.
90th anniversary
Pig, poultry and horticulture farms are particularly encouraged to participate in the Farm Business Survey this season, ensuring these important sectors are fully represented in national data and benchmarking.
A new website has recently been launched to make it easier for farmers to understand the survey, register to take part, and access reports and data.
The FBS is soon approaching its 90th anniversary, with a programme of content and activity planned throughout the year highlighting the survey’s history, impact on policy, and value to farmers.
Results from the 2024/25 survey year will be released on 22nd January via the Farm Business Survey Data Dashboard, providing updated insights into farm performance across sectors and regions.
Participation provides farmers with a free Xero subscription and confidential benchmarking reports, enabling them to compare their performance with that of similar farms and track trends over time.
Access the survey here.
Read more farm business news.
