A survey of more than 600 farmers from the UK, Australia and the US has found that improving margins, along with navigating government,regulatory pressures, and changes to payments, are the top concerns for UK farmers this year.

However, the next major worry for UK farmers is public and media perception. This is a greater problem in the UK than elsewhere with 29% of UK farmers saying they are “very concerned” about the issue, compared to 18% in Australia and just 12% in the US. In fact, UK producers are more concerned about the public and media perception of the industry than import & export competition, the price of beef and lamb, or Brexit pressures.

The findings, revealed in livestock enterprise management platform AgriWebb’s inaugural State of the Farmer report, show many concerns and priorities, compounding government and regulatory pressure and the end of the Basic Payments Scheme.

A quarter (24%) of UK farmers are very concerned about the price of beef and lamb and a further 65% say they are concerned or somewhat concerned. In comparison, 22% of US farmers say they are very concerned, but only 10% of Australian farmers are.

In pursuit of better assurance, nearly half of UK farmers (48%) say they are participating in value-added or compliance programmes. This compares to 55% in Australia and 40% in the US.

When it comes to the top priorities for UK livestock farmers this year, improving herd efficiency, increasing profitability, and increasing operational efficiencies on farm, top the list.

The research also identified that in terms of action over talk on climate, UK farmers are ahead of those in Australia and the US. UK livestock producers stand apart, with more than 50% calling carbon sequestration and Net Zero efforts either a priority or a top priority this year. Only 13% of UK farmers said it wasn’t a priority, compared with 31% of Australian respondents and 39% of US farmers.

When asked if they are currently preparing to participate in any carbon or other natural resource markets, the most popular answer among UK farmers was that no, they are waiting to see how the markets develop first – a third (32%) feel this way. Across the UK, Australia and the US, a similar percentage said yes, they are planning to participate (23%, 21% and 23% respectively.)

UK farmers are also more positive about the impact of their grazing practises on land health with 53% feeling very positive compared to 47% in Australia and 41% in the US.

When it comes to technology usage, the UK leads with 65% of those surveyed using technology for animal management versus 59% in Australia and 55% in the US. However, the UK lags in technology adoption for grazing management and planning, as well as business planning and management.

Commenting on the findings, Justin Webb, co-founder and executive chair at AgriWebb, said: “Our research has found that in a landscape with heavy government regulation and intense public scrutiny, UK farmers are anticipating a continued move towards more “sustainable” practises, with reduced inputs and greater conservation goals. While it is expected some producers will exit the industry, there is a sense there will be a growing market for small producers selling locally.”

Justin added: “The tech industry has a bad track record of servicing the livestock industry. Innovative producers were branded as technophobes, because they didn’t embrace technology that wasn’t specific to their needs or robust enough to handle the tough conditions they work in. That’s changing, fast. Tech savvy producers have demanded and are getting products that work in the paddock, and deliver for the bottom line. The vast majority of livestock producers believe that technology has a vital role to play in the future of agriculture – and they’re excited about it.”