An in-depth annual survey of 3,050 European farmers in six countries has indicated greater optimism among UK farmers than their counterparts in Germany and France. Across all three countries, larger holdings are more likely to benefit from reinvestment than smaller holdings, but there is considerable divergence in the investment in renewable energy.

TrendMonitor is a twice yearly measure of farmers’ confidence in their businesses. Conducted by The Kleffmann Group, who are partnered in the UK by Independent Business Resource Limited (IBR-Ltd), the autumn 2010 wave of the survey showed that 36% of UK farmers interviewed considered the economic climate for agriculture to be “good” or “very good”, compared to 20% of farmers in Germany and just 8% in France.

As a consequence, 58% of UK farmers indicated they would be investing in their farms in 2011, compared to 50% of German farmers and 21% of French farmers.

Across all three European countries, confidence and the likelihood to invest in 2011 runs lower among farmers of smaller holdings (<200ha) than among farmers of larger holdings (200ha or more).  In the UK, 70% of larger holdings are likely to see investment compared to 50% of smaller holdings.  In Germany, 64% of larger holdings compared to 47% of smaller holdings would see some investment.  In France, there was minimal difference between the two farm enterprise sizes, with 25% of larger holdings compared to 20% of smaller holdings investing.

“Not all farmers have benefited from the highest commodity prices, as many sold forward in 2010 before the price hike.  We believe that money in the pocket tends to build confidence, especially for smaller operations.  Although concerns about the big boys getting bigger and the smaller players more likely to stand still, we would hope that this spring we will see the smaller holding sector more inclined to invest.  For now, we are seeing a degree of financial consolidation for the smaller players,” says David Dower, Research Director of IBR-Ltd.

With Renewable Energy high on the agricultural agenda, it is in Germany that there is the most widespread intention to invest in energy solutions.  In Germany 34% of farmers who said that they intended to invest were looking at renewable solutions, compared to only 18% of farmers in the UK and 15% in France.  “We feel this reflects the wider renewable energy picture, with Germany tending to lead the way in Europe.  The interest in all three countries is mainly in solar energy” added David Dower.