For the purposes of this research, the authors consider a small farm to be a farm that needs the labour input of up to two people. The definition of family farming is even more elusive than ‘small farm’. The extent of the decline of use of hired labour in agriculture is such that many farm businesses are family farms in terms of being family owned businesses worked both managerially and largely operationally by family members. The majority of small farms are family farms in these terms, but not all family farms are small.

The merits or otherwise of small family farms have not been so keenly debated in the UK in recent years as was once the case, and this is reflected in a relatively modest recent literature on the influence of farm size and the positive or negative aspects of small farming. Nevertheless, advocates of small family farms regard their contribution as distinct and worthy of support. One of the main purposes of this report is to examine the extent to which these claims for the virtues of small or family farming can be justified and, if a case can indeed be made for their continued role in UK agriculture, what might be done to improve their viability and resilience. It is very clear, as illustrated in this report, that the current challenges facing agriculture as a whole and, we would argue, small farms in particular, are very grave.

Advocates of the small family farm make a strong case for the positive contribution that such farms make to rural life and the countryside. Although evidence is uneven, as suppliers of local food and labour, often deploying a deliberate strategy of connecting with consumers, small farms are well placed to contribute to their communities.

Evidence from the SW Farm Survey suggests that small family farms support a greater density of employment, employing more workers per unit area than larger farms. Submissions to the call for evidence identified that because of the challenges faced by small farms they have to do things differently and have a strong motivation to innovate.

Looking to the future, evidence from the SW Farm Survey suggests that for a significant proportion of operators of small farms, the near future will see them retiring or otherwise leaving agriculture. What is of concern is whether the ranks of these small farms can be replenished by active and economically vibrant new small farms or whether, as seems more likely their land and property is taken up by a combination of expanding large farms and residential life-style purchasers.

Recommendations for farmers and farm businesses to become more resilient.

1) Adopt lifelong learning through regularly accessing advice, support and information to help inform business decisions.

2) Develop good management and technical skills to assist with the executive day-to-day management of a successful farm business.

3) Develop and implement a plan for succession and/or retirement from farming.

4) Collaborate with other farmers and supply chain partners, including developing local networks,

peer support relationships and business opportunities.

5) If appropriate and after full market research and business advice, introduce new enterprises to diversify farm business income.

Recommendations for the agricultural sector to support small family farms

6) The formation of a task force to carry out further examination of variable performance in agriculture with the aim of providing further evidence on the causes of variable farm business performance and the factors that help improve performance.

7) Develop a concordat between the various professional bodies who give advice to famers with a view to developing a common protocol for cross-referral and communication strategy about the range of advice and support available.

8) The Farming Help Charities in conjunction with The Prince’s Countryside Fund and other helping agencies should identify and equip individuals within farming areas to act as ‘catalysts’, guiding farmers to the information and support they need and assisting them in this process.

9) Catalysts should be encouraged to establish a ‘good farming neighbours’ system to allow farmer to farmer peer group support, learning from other mentoring schemes.

10) Rural estates should encourage the creation of opportunities for new farm businesses by investing in the provision of new housing for existing tenants to facilitate new entrants.

11) Rural estates should be encouraged to take a lead in assisting new entrants through either Farm Business Tenancies or share farming arrangements.

12) Rural estates should be encouraged to raise the minimum term for Farm Business Tenancies to 10 years to help strengthen farm businesses and encourage longer-term planning and investment with a view to policy change.

 Recommendations for policy makers

13) Utilise a more  flexible approach to encourage new entrants into farming through share farming arrangements and Farm Business Tenancies.

14) Consideration should be given in planning policies to allow farmers of retirement age to build a retirement house when they agree to facilitate new entrants through Farm Business Tenancies, share farming or land purchase.

15) Greater investment through rural development funding into farming entrance schemes such as Fresh Start Academies and the Fresh Start Land Enterprise matching service.

16) Discussions should be held to establish what opportunities can be addressed through adjustments to tax reliefs currently available with the specific need to attract new entrants into farming.

17) Promoters of Short Supply Chains and added value (such as social enterprises, local authorities and rural development schemes) should make engagement with small family farmers a strategic priority.