Back British Farming Day: Farmers ranked UK’s second most respected profession
10th September 2025
As the country celebrates Back British Farming Day, the public has once again demonstrated strong support for farmers and growers, ranking them as the UK’s second most respected profession for the third year running.
The NFU’s latest Farmer Favourability Survey demonstrates that the public values farmers for producing high-quality food, caring for animals and protecting the countryside – often in the face of extreme weather and economic pressures.
Ranking farmers and growers second only to UK’s nurses, the survey also found:
- 92% people feel it is important Britain has a productive farming sector
- 89% say British farms should grow as much food as possible to support national food security
- More than three-quarters of respondents trust British food more than food from the rest of the world.
‘Recognising value of our farmers’
With new ministers appointed as DEFRA secretary and farming minister, NFU said that there is an opportunity to make farming’s case strongly to a new top team.
As the NFU takes Back British Farming Day once again to Westminster, it is calling on the government to recognise and reflect on this continued public support with policies that truly value domestic food production and farming’s environmental delivery.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said that British farming is the “bedrock” of the country’s largest manufacturing sector – food and drink – worth over £150 billion to the economy and supporting more than four million jobs.
“Just as we rightly celebrate the strength of our food and drink sector, we must also recognise and invest in the people who make it possible: our farmers and growers.
“Back British Farming Day is about recognising the value of our farmers – not just for the food they produce, but for the role they play in our communities, our economy and our environment. And clearly, the public is behind us.”
READ MORE: NFU president meets new DEFRA secretary on her first day in post
‘Farmers need confidence to invest for future’
While the public support is hugely appreciated, many farmers and growers face growing challenges. The average farm carries significant debts just to stay afloat, while nearly half of all farm businesses are tenanted and do not own their most valuable asset – the land they farm.
With the average age of a farmer now 60 years old, long-term investment and succession planning are becoming increasingly more difficult.
Farmers continue to invest billions in the wider economy, support rural tourism and diversify their businesses to stay resilient. But to secure the future of British farming, the NFU is calling for urgent action to improve farm profitability, protect domestic food production and ensure fair standards in trade.
Mr Bradshaw added: “Our farmers and growers are proud to produce the food that feeds the nation, while delivering for nature, rural communities and the wider economy. But they need confidence to invest for the future.”
He said that the key to the long-term future of our farms is improving the profitability of sustainable food production. One simple thing the government can do is the right thing on inheritance tax to avoid bereaved farming families having to fork out for an unaffordable tax bill – something we know the public stands behind.
“Our submission to the government’s Farm Profitability Review outlines how it has the potential to improve competitiveness and profitability, helping to underpin national food security and meet our domestic environmental targets.
“As we mark ten years of Back British Farming Day, the NFU remains committed to championing a thriving future for British agriculture – one built on public trust, political partnership and pride in our homegrown food.”
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