Agricultural facts: Summary
Updated 30 October 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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Section 1: Key statistics
Figure 1.1: A map of England split by region
Source: Office for National Statistics, Open Geography Portal
Key statistics for England
- Total Income from Farming (TIFF)[footnote 1] in England in 2024 was £5.3 billion. TIFF increased in all 8 of England’s regions with an average increase of 27% between 2023 and 2024 (Figure 1.2). The largest contributor to England’s TIFF in 2024 was the South West (20%) and the smallest contributor was the North East (3.8%).
- Total livestock output was the largest output[footnote 2] in 5 of England’s 8 regions while total crop output was the largest in the other 3 regions (Figure 1.3). Subsidies less tax made up between 5.6% (West Midlands) and 13% (North East) of total outputs for the regions.
- The North East had the largest average farm size in 2024 (138 hectares) while the West Midlands had the smallest (66 hectares). The average English farm size was 87 hectares (Table 1.1).
- In England, the predominant farm types in 2024 were grazing livestock (42% of England’s holdings) and general cropping (21% of England’s holdings) farms. Nevertheless, the prevalence of different farm types can vary considerably across England’s regions. For example, 36% of holdings in the East of England were cereal farms while only 4.4% of holdings were cereal farms in the North West (Figure 1.5).
- In 2023/24 (covering the 2023 harvest), the average Farm Business Income (FBI)[footnote 3] across all farm types in England was £45,300 per farm, which was a decrease of 53% from 2022/23 (Table 1.4). The North East had the highest average FBI (£64,100 per farm) while the South West had the lowest (£35,100 per farm).
- In 2024, the South West had the highest proportion of England’s total agricultural labour force (22%) and the South East (including London) region had the largest share of regular workers (23%) (Table 1.5). However, the South East (including London) region had the most workers per farm (3.8 workers) and the highest proportion of England’s casual labour (30%).
Figure 1.2: Total Income from Farming (TIFF) in 2023 and 2024 (£ million)
| Region | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| North East | 159 | 204 |
| North West | 303 | 496 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 449 | 582 |
| East Midlands | 710 | 789 |
| West Midlands | 556 | 725 |
| East of England | 850 | 881 |
| South East (including London) | 530 | 605 |
| South West | 802 | 1,055 |
Source: Total Income from Farming for the regions of England
Figure 1.3: Outputs and subsidies in 2024 (£ million)
| Region | Total livestock output | Total crop output | Diversification | Other agricultural activities | Subsidies (excluding tax) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 487 (52%) |
218 (23%) |
62 (6.7%) |
43 (4.6%) |
120 (13%) |
| North West | 1,895 (70%) |
381 (14%) |
108 (4.0%) |
124 (4.6%) |
183 (6.8%) |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1,697 (51%) |
1,104 (33%) |
165 (4.9%) |
159 (4.8%) |
217 (6.5%) |
| East Midlands | 1,455 (36%) |
1,898 (47%) |
209 (5.2%) |
199 (5.0%) |
236 (5.9%) |
| West Midlands | 1,759 (52%) |
1,096 (33%) |
169 (5.0%) |
151 (4.5%) |
188 (5.6%) |
| East of England | 1,416 (31%) |
2,445 (53%) |
267 (5.8%) |
237 (5.1%) |
273 (5.9%) |
| South East (including London) | 899 (33%) |
1,283 (47%) |
214 (7.8%) |
136 (4.9%) |
224 (8.1%) |
| South West | 3,249 (59%) |
1,388 (25%) |
288 (5.2%) |
258 (4.7%) |
355 (6.4%) |
Source: Total Income from Farming for the regions of England
Notes:
-
Proportions are respective to the total output value plus direct payments for each region.
-
Proportions may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Figure 1.4: Distribution of farms by size in 2024 (percentage of farm holdings)
| Region | <5 ha | 5<20 ha | 20<50 ha | 50<100 ha | ≥100 ha | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 12% | 21% | 17% | 16% | 35% | 100% |
| North West | 14% | 26% | 22% | 18% | 20% | 100% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 15% | 24% | 19% | 17% | 26% | 100% |
| East Midlands | 14% | 25% | 19% | 15% | 27% | 100% |
| West Midlands | 15% | 29% | 21% | 17% | 19% | 100% |
| East of England | 13% | 21% | 17% | 15% | 34% | 100% |
| South East (including London) | 14% | 30% | 20% | 13% | 23% | 100% |
| South West | 14% | 30% | 22% | 16% | 19% | 100% |
| England | 14% | 27% | 20% | 16% | 24% | 100% |
Source: Defra, June Survey
Notes:
-
“ha” means “hectares”.
-
Proportions may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Table 1.1: Land use in 2024
| Region | Total farmed area (thousand hectares) | Average farm size (hectares) | Rented (% of farmed area) | Arable (% of farmed area) | Permanent pasture (% of farmed area) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 581 | 138 | 42% | 34% | 44% |
| North West | 893 | 72 | 37% | 24% | 58% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1,086 | 91 | 34% | 53% | 32% |
| East Midlands | 1,165 | 102 | 33% | 71% | 21% |
| West Midlands | 897 | 66 | 30% | 55% | 35% |
| East of England | 1,417 | 130 | 28% | 80% | 11% |
| South East (including London) | 1,119 | 89 | 31% | 58% | 29% |
| South West | 1,720 | 68 | 32% | 45% | 44% |
| England | 8,877 | 87 | 32% | 55% | 33% |
Source: Defra, June Survey
Notes:
-
Arable includes arable crops, uncropped arable land and temporary grass.
-
Rented land must be rented for at least one year.
Table 1.2: Crop area in 2024 as a % of England’s total
| Region | Wheat | Barley | Oats | Maize | Oilseed rape | Potatoes | Field veg | Hardy nursery stock | Glasshouse | Orchards | Small fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 4.1% | 4.5% | 5.8% | 0.2% | 6.0% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| North West | 1.9% | 4.7% | 3.4% | 6.4% | 1.6% | 5.8% | 4.4% | 2.3% | 14% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 14% | 15% | 7.6% | 6.5% | 15% | 20% | 18% | 3.1% | 13% | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| East Midlands | 19% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 19% | 15% | 28% | 36% | 9.0% | 1.4% | 3.0% |
| West Midlands | 9.7% | 6.7% | 14% | 14% | 12% | 15% | 6.9% | 8.4% | 9.5% | 30% | 18% |
| East of England | 28% | 24% | 18% | 16% | 21% | 33% | 31% | 15% | 19% | 7.4% | 14% |
| South East (including London) | 13% | 12% | 19% | 12% | 14% | 2.7% | 4.6% | 10% | 31% | 44% | 55% |
| South West | 9.7% | 15% | 16% | 29% | 11% | 7.7% | 6.1% | 25% | 4.6% | 16% | 8.5% |
| England | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Source: Defra, June Survey
Notes:
-
Proportions may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
-
Further data notes on crops can be found below the relevant tables in the statistical dataset for England’s regional breakdown of the structure of the agricultural industry at June.
Table 1.3: Livestock numbers in 2024 as a % of England’s total
| Region | Cattle | Dairy herd | Beef herd | Pigs | Sheep | Poultry | Laying flock | Table chickens | Turkeys | Goats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 4.8% | 1.2% | 11% | 3.8% | 12% | 1.5% | 2.5% | 1.5% | 0.1% | 1.6% |
| North West | 19% | 26% | 12% | 2.3% | 20% | 7.8% | 12% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 7.2% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 11% | 7.2% | 12% | 40% | 14% | 12% | 13% | 11% | 17% | 23% |
| East Midlands | 8.8% | 6.2% | 11% | 8.0% | 8.3% | 18% | 17% | 19% | 27% | 6.4% |
| West Midlands | 13% | 15% | 11% | 4.6% | 14% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 10% | 13% |
| East of England | 3.4% | 1.2% | 6.1% | 28% | 2.4% | 23% | 9.2% | 27% | 33% | 5.1% |
| South East (including London) | 7.1% | 4.8% | 9.9% | 4.0% | 8.0% | 5.7% | 11% | 3.1% | 5.2% | 9.2% |
| South West | 33% | 39% | 27% | 9.5% | 20% | 14% | 15% | 13% | 3.1% | 35% |
| England | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Source: Defra, June Survey
Notes:
-
Proportions may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
-
Cattle numbers relate to commercial holdings only.
-
Sheep numbers include lambs.
Figure 1.5: Distribution of farms by type in 2024 (percentage of farm holdings)
| Region | Cereals | General Cropping | Horticulture | Dairy | Grazing Livestock | Mixed | Pigs, Poultry & Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 17% | 14% | 0.9% | 1.5% | 52% | 9.5% | 4.5% | 100% |
| North West | 4.4% | 19% | 2.3% | 10% | 55% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 100% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 20% | 17% | 1.8% | 3.4% | 41% | 8.8% | 8.1% | 100% |
| East Midlands | 25% | 21% | 2.7% | 3.2% | 35% | 6.9% | 5.8% | 100% |
| West Midlands | 13% | 21% | 3.6% | 5.3% | 44% | 8.0% | 5.0% | 100% |
| East of England | 36% | 27% | 4.3% | 0.5% | 18% | 5.3% | 9.2% | 100% |
| South East (including London) | 18% | 23% | 5.7% | 1.8% | 40% | 6.9% | 4.1% | 100% |
| South West | 8.4% | 22% | 3.5% | 7.4% | 47% | 7.4% | 4.9% | 100% |
| England | 16% | 21% | 3.3% | 4.9% | 42% | 7.0% | 5.6% | 100% |
Source: Defra, June Survey
Notes:
-
Proportions may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
-
“Other” refers to unclassified farm types.
Table 1.4: Farm Business Income in 2023/24 (£ per farm)
| Region | All farm types | Cereals | General cropping | Horticulture | Dairy | Grazing livestock | Mixed | Specialist pigs | Specialist poultry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 64,100 (±28,700) |
101,100 (±69,200) |
[x] | [x] | [x] | 36,900 (±26,800) |
75,800 (±90,800) |
[x] | [x] |
| North West | 42,100 (±20,900) |
19,400 (±27,700) |
119,000 (±127,200) |
[x] | 82,300 (±77,000) |
25,400 (±11,800) |
25,600 (±28,500) |
[x] | -109,300 (±155,400) |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 50,700 (±21,300) |
31,900 (±20,500) |
180,100 (±40,600) |
[x] | 54,300 (±30,100) |
9,800 (±10,400) |
8,400 (±37,800) |
109,800 (±49,100) |
411,100 (±153,600) |
| East Midlands | 37,300 (±24,100) |
21,800 (±28,000) |
107,600 (±61,200) |
[x] | 99,300 (±35,900) |
11,500 (±10,400) |
50,400 (±67,100) |
[x] | -204,900 (±557,400) |
| West Midlands | 56,200 (±19,400) |
28,600 (±19,900) |
75,200 (±48,400) |
95,800 (±170,400) |
42,300 (±26,200) |
20,100 (±14,200) |
21,200 (±20,500) |
181,900 (±233,200) |
261,000 (±163,300) |
| East of England | 59,600 (±25,100) |
43,900 (±39,100) |
139,000 (±61,200) |
47,900 (±73,900) |
[x] | -8,200 (±15,700) |
50,200 (±49,700) |
124,500 (±71,300) |
[x] |
| South East (including London) | 35,200 (±14,100) |
69,000 (±36,700) |
49,100 (±54,500) |
19,100 (±23,000) |
6,600 (±129,200) |
19,000 (±11,700) |
12,100 (±40,000) |
[x] | [x] |
| South West | 35,100 (±11,400) |
20,600 (±16,900) |
23,700 (±35,200) |
80,700 (±110,400) |
87,300 (±46,500) |
22,700 (±6,100) |
3,800 (±14,900) |
132,900 (±120,800) |
82,100 (±146,700) |
| England | 45,300 (±6,500) |
39,400 (±12,700) |
95,300 (±23,800) |
59,100 (±41,100) |
70,900 (±23,500) |
19,500 (±4,000) |
22,700 (±13,200) |
135,800 (±44,500) |
143,600 (±125,100) |
Source: Defra, Farm Business Survey (regional breakdown not published elsewhere)
Notes:
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“[x]” means “not available”.
-
The Farm Business Survey year runs, on average, from March to February.
-
Excludes farms with less than £21,000 of standard output.
-
Values in parentheses indicate the 95% confidence intervals.
-
In a given Farm Business Survey year, the sample size for some farm types can be relatively small. This means that individual farms can have a large influence on the results, and the results should be treated with caution. See the Farm Business Income by type of farm in England publication for more information.
-
Values are rounded to the nearest £100.
-
Data correct as at October 2025.
Table 1.5: Agricultural labour force in 2024 (number of people)
| Region | Total labour | Average labour per farm | Total labour as % of England | Regular workers as % of England | Casual workers as % of England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 9,756 | 2.3 | 3.4% | 2.8% | 1.6% |
| North West | 31,883 | 2.6 | 11% | 11% | 6.0% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 29,782 | 2.5 | 10% | 9.5% | 5.8% |
| East Midlands | 30,690 | 2.7 | 11% | 11% | 9.5% |
| West Midlands | 38,026 | 2.8 | 13% | 11% | 18% |
| East of England | 34,496 | 3.2 | 12% | 15% | 14% |
| South East (including London) | 47,842 | 3.8 | 17% | 23% | 30% |
| South West | 62,323 | 2.5 | 22% | 18% | 15% |
| England | 284,797 | 2.8 | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Source: Defra, June Survey
Notes:
-
Proportions may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
-
Total labour includes farmers, partners, directors, spouses, salaried managers, regular and casual workers.
-
Casual workers are those usually employed for less than 20 weeks of the year.
-
Number of workers per farm calculations are averages based on the total number of farm holdings in the region.
-
Part time workers are those employed for less than 39 hours a week.
-
Percentage calculations for full and part time workers do not include salaried managers.
Section 2: Data notes
Figures are for commercial holdings as at June 2024 (unless stated otherwise). Commercial holdings are those with levels of farming activity above a specified threshold as detailed in this publication’s guidance note. For further information about the June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture please visit our survey notes and guidance page on GOV.UK.
“Region” in this statistical notice refers to International Territorial Level 1 (ITL1) for England. The ITL1 regions for Greater London and the South East have been combined in this statistical notice due to the fact that London has such a small farming infrastructure.
This release contains the latest data available at the time of publishing. As a result, reference periods may vary. TIFF and FBI represent data from distinct time periods: TIFF covers January to December 2024, while FBI spans March 2023 to February 2024. As these metrics reflect different reporting periods, direct comparisons between the two should be avoided.
Section 3: Other geographical breakdowns
Defra June Survey data aggregated at other geographical classifications can be found in the Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June statistical data set on GOV.UK.
England regional data for aggregate agricultural accounts (including data at ITL2 and ITL3) can be found in the Total Income from Farming for the regions of England publication on GOV.UK.
Section 4: Contact details
Team: Farming Statistics - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Email: AUK_stats_team@defra.gov.uk
For media queries between 9am and 5pm on weekdays:
Telephone: 0330 041 6560
Email: newsdesk@defra.gov.uk
-
Total Income from Farming (TIFF) is the net income to farms once costs have been accounted for, so is calculated as “outputs & subsidies” minus “inputs & costs”. More information on aggregate agricultural accounts can be found on GOV.UK. ↩
-
Output is the total value (at market prices) of commodities produced without considering production costs or any additional income received through subsidies. More information on aggregate agricultural accounts can be found on GOV.UK. ↩
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In simple terms, Farm Business Income (FBI) is the output generated by the farm business minus total farm costs. More information on Farm Business Income can be found on GOV.UK. ↩