"The NFU proudly represents the Midlands farming community. Our members are skilled, forward-thinking and creative people, who are embracing innovation to pave the way for the next generation."
NFU Midlands Regional Director, Robert Newbery
Introduction
NFU Midlands Regional Director, Robert Newbery
Through this report we want to celebrate the people and businesses that drive the Midlands’ farm-to-fork success story.
Midlands farmers play a vital role in boosting the local economy, caring for the environment and, above all, feeding the community.
Farming businesses uphold high standards of professionalism, care and respect and are measured against recognised quality assurance standards. They produce high quality, safe, climate-friendly food, fibre, fuel and flowers while maintaining and enhancing the countryside.
British farmers and growers play an important role in local economies and underpin a wide range of ancillary services. They also drive growth in diversified industries such as tourism and leisure, providing access opportunities to the countryside.
As the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, the food and drink industry relies on the dedication of farmers and growers, who not only feed urban populations but also drive economic prosperity.
The NFU proudly represents the Midlands farming community. Our members are skilled, forward-thinking and creative people, who are embracing innovation to pave the way for the next generation.
Through NFU Education, our members are actively engaging with schools to deliver informative assemblies and enriching STEM lessons for pupils across the region, weaving farming into their learning of science, technology, engineering, and maths.
Alongside unprecedented global events in recent years, there are the pressures of a growing global population, changing dietary trends and environmental challenges. However, resilient and sustainable farming and growing businesses in the Midlands are in a prime position to be part of the solution to these challenges.
Our request to you is simple – remember us, champion us and take pride in us. Farming and growing across the Midlands impacts on everyone’s lives and contributes to even the most urban of communities.
As farmers managing the environment, we care for the water you drink, the air you breathe and the views you enjoy – so it’s important that policy decisions at all levels of government care for us and strengthen our ability to produce your food and drink.
Summary
Midlands farmers are rightly proud of what they contribute to the region and nation. What they do is vital because food is vital.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing contribute around £3.7 billion to the Midlands economy and the industry employs more than 75,000 people directly on our farms, including part-time and seasonal labour. These figures do not include those employed in allied industries, processing, manufacturing, retail, catering and food service.
In total, there are more than 26,000 farm holdings over two million hectares across the Midlands.
These are home to:
• more than 663,000 pigs
• one million cattle
• 3.3 million sheep and lambs
• 59 million poultry
The region boasts over one million hectares of arable land that produce:
• 30% of English wheat
• 23% of barley
• 30% of oilseed rape
• 28% of oats
• 31% of potatoes
• 33% of field veg
The West Midlands alone is responsible for 21% of English small fruit production and 30% of top fruit production.
Gross farming output for the Midlands stands at around £6.2 billion and the largest individual sector contributors to this are: wheat (£1 billion), poultry meat (£1 billion), milk (£863 million), plants & flowers (£537 million), fresh vegetables (£511 million) and cattle for meat (£423 million).
Midlands farmers also help manage more than 76,000 hectares of farm woodland and over 24,000 miles of public rights of way.
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county of varied landscapes, from the moorlands of the High Peak to the
fertile land bordering the River Trent in the south. 35% of Derbyshire is covered by the Peak
District National Park, which attracts more than 13 million people to the area each year.
Predominantly a grassland county where livestock production dominates, Derbyshire’s farms are famous for their fresh milk and excellent beef and lamb. Derbyshire is also one of three counties with a protected designation of origin (PDO) for Stilton cheese.
Key county stats
There are:
• More than 6,400 people working on farms, including around 740 casual and part-time workers (not including those working in allied industries and the wider food and drink sectors)
• Around 2,900 farm holdings across 278,400 hectares which generate £294m for the economy. Total Income from Farming is £50m
• 68,000 hectares of upland grazing across 930 holdings – the most of any county in the Midlands. There are around 700 lowland grazing livestock holdings across 23,400 hectares
• The third highest number of cattle and sheep in the Midlands, with more than 157,700 cattle (including dairy cows) and 419,200 sheep (including lambs)
• 26,600 hectares of cereals across more than 200 farms and general cropping is found on over 400 farms across 15,000 hectares
• 25 horticultural businesses that farm 400 hectares. These mostly specialise in field vegetables and salad, but there are also businesses that grow nursery stock and top fruit
• 30 specialist pig farms, with more than 31,000 pigs over 900 hectares and close to 250 dairy farms spread across 27,000 hectares
• 50 specialist poultry farms, covering almost 1,000 hectares. Broiler production dominates, followed by laying flocks, turkeys, ducks, breeding flocks and geese
• Approximately 160 mixed farms covering 11,000 hectares, and around 100 unclassified farms, covering 150 hectares
• 5,000 hectares of farm woodland and farmers help maintain over 3,000 miles of public rights of way, plus 5,800 miles of dry stone walls
Herefordshire
Herefordshire has a hugely diverse agricultural sector covering all types of UK farming, with the majority of farm businesses being mixed enterprises. It is well known for its top-quality potatoes and Hereford cattle, and the county is a centre for hop and fruit
production.
Farmers and growers manage the stunning landscape, from the edges of the Malvern Hills to the Black Mountains, to put a feast of food on our tables.
More than half of the UK’s cider is produced in Herefordshire and the county is home to Heineken (Bulmers), Westons Cider, Tyrrells and Wye Valley Produce, among others.
Key county stats
• 82% of Herefordshire is farmland, totalling around 179,800 hectares. This generates £349 million for the economy. Total Income from Farming is £176 million
• Around 10% of the workforce, 9,600 people, work directly on farms across the county and
around 3,500 of these are casual workers
• Defra statistics show that there are around 260 cereal farms in the county, covering 28,800 hectares, while general cropping accounts for nearly 500 farms, covering 38,700 hectares
• There are more than 100 specialist poultry farms over 8,000 hectares. Broiler production dominates followed by laying flocks, breeding flocks, turkeys, ducks, and geese. Herefordshire is the home of Avara Foods, which is one of the UK’s largest food businesses, supplying chicken, turkey and duck to the nation’s most popular supermarkets and restaurants
• Lowland grazing covers 37,800 hectares, spread out over around 930 farms. This compares to 300 upland and hill grazing livestock farms spanning 14,900 hectares. There are more than 105,000 cattle in Herefordshire, including dairy cows. Herefordshire cows produce over 88 million litres of milk per year
• Total sheep in Herefordshire is the second highest across West Midlands counties, with more than 559,700 (including lambs)
• Herefordshire grows enough wheat each year to make 400m loaves of bread
• There are around 270 mixed farms covering 31,200 hectares, and 120 unclassified farms covering 330 hectares. Farmers also manage more than 9,300 hectares of farm
woodland and help maintain around 2,100 miles of public rights of way
Leicestershire & Rutland
Leicestershire and Rutland are well known by food lovers worldwide as the home of Red Leicester cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies.
Leicestershire is one of three counties with a protected designation of origin (PDO) for Stilton cheese.
They are also the base for large food businesses, including Walkers crisps, Pukka Pies, Belvoir Fruit Farms and the Samworth Brothers Group (Ginsters).
Key county stats
• Around 5,400 people work on our farms, which generate £480 million for to the economy (not including workforce numbers and the economic benefits of those in allied industries and the wider food and drink sectors)
• Farming generates a total income of £80 million and there are more than 2,100 holdings, farming 190,000 hectares between them
• There are around 500 cereal farms in the county, covering an area of around 95,000 hectares. This is the third highest in the Midlands region
• General cropping accounts for 345 farms, covering 18,000 hectares and there are 32 horticulture farms on 1,100 hectares
• 40 specialist poultry farms covering 1,000 hectares. Broilers and laying flock are the most common, followed by breeding flocks, turkeys, geese, and ducks
• 23 specialist pig farms, home to 54,000 pigs on 1,400 hectares of land
• More than 293,000 sheep (including lambs) and around 106,000 cattle (including dairy cows)
• Lowland grazing livestock covers 32,500 hectares across 865 farms and there are 90 dairy farms across approximately 14,000 hectares
• 200 mixed farms covering 26,700 hectares and 74 unclassified farms covering 234 hectares
• Farmers also manage around 7,300 hectares of farm woodland and help maintain over 2,100 miles of public rights of way
Lincolnshire & Holland
Known as the ‘Breadbasket of England’, Lincolnshire is one of the most successful farming counties, producing a large proportion of the country’s cereal crops for our most popular food and drink, like bread and beer.
It is also home to the celebrated Lincolnshire Red cattle, Lincolnshire sausage, Lincolnshire plum bread, haslet, stuffed chine and the tangy Lincolnshire Poacher and Cote Hill Yellow Belly cheeses, as well as Bateman’s Ales.
The Holland area of south Lincolnshire is one of the centres for flower growing in the country, with dedicated specialists producing beautiful blooms for key moments throughout the year, like Valentine’s Day, Mothering Sunday and the wedding season.
Key county stats
• More than 4,000 holdings over 554,500 hectares, generating more than £1 billion for the economy. Total Income from Farming is £533 million
• Around 14,400 people work directly on farms across the county and around 3,800 of these are casual workers
• More than 1,400 cereal farms, while general cropping accounts for close to 1,000 farms, covering 158,600 hectares
• More than 220 horticultural businesses. These cover an area of almost 20,000 hectares and are dominated by field vegetables and salad
• 200 specialist poultry farms across 4,800 hectares. Broiler production dominates followed by laying flocks, breeding flocks, turkeys, ducks, and geese
• 75 specialist pig farms, with more than 253,000 pigs. These cover an area of 4,800 hectares
• Lowland grazing covers 19,000 hectares, spread out over 660 farms. There are also 14 dairy farms covering 2,000 hectares. In total there are approximately 79,700 cattle in Lincolnshire (including dairy cows) and 162,200 sheep (including lambs)
• 250 mixed farms covering 34,400 hectares, and 117 unclassified farms covering 359 hectares
• Lincolnshire farmers also care for more than 13,500 hectares of farm woodland and help maintain around 2,485 miles of public rights of way
Northamptonshire
A proud farming county, with more than 70% of its land area used for agriculture, Northamptonshire’s farmers represent most farming sectors but are particularly strong in terms of cereal growing.
The county is the base for industry giants Weetabix, Saxby Brothers Ltd, Golden Wonder and Carlsberg, with Weetabix celebrating Northamptonshire’s legion of passionate independent food and drink producers with a prestigious annual awards ceremony.
Key county stats
• 1,700 farms over 186,000 hectares generating £164 million for the economy, with over 4,000 jobs, of which around 700 are casual and part-time workers. Total Income from Farming is £75 million
• More than 500 cereal farms over 119,000 hectares - the second highest across the Midlands. General cropping accounts for around 250 farms over 11,800 hectares and there are 26 horticulture businesses covering 1,000 hectares
• There are 26 specialist poultry farms in Northamptonshire, over nearly 1,000 hectares. These are mainly laying flocks and broiler farms, followed by breeding flocks, ducks, and geese
• Lowland grazing livestock on around 620 farms cover 26,800 hectares and the county has more than 50,000 cattle (including dairy cows) and 257,800 sheep (including lambs). There are also approximately 16,500 pigs
• There are roughly 100 mixed farms, covering 16,000 hectares and 80 unclassified farms, covering 178 hectares
• Farmers in Northamptonshire also manage around 7,000 hectares of farm woodland and help to maintain over 1,900 miles of public rights of way
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is famously the home of Sherwood Forest and the ancient woodland still provides a place for wildlife to thrive and people to enjoy their leisure time.
For over a century, Newark has been the home to the most westerly sugar beet factory in the UK which produces more than 31,500 tonnes of sugar from the farms in the surrounding area.
Nottinghamshire is a world leader in the production of Chantenay carrots and produces over 40,000 tonnes of these sweet little vegetables every year. County dairy farmers supply much of the milk which is used to make the ‘King of English Cheese’, Stilton, which can only be manufactured from milk produced in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.
Key county stats
• Almost 4,000 people work on farms and around 750 of these are casual workers, while agriculture generates £228 million for the regional economy (not including workers in allied industries and the food and drink sector)
• Total Income from Farming is £79 million
• The total number of farm holdings stands at over 1,300, managing 138,000 hectares of farmland
• 400 cereal farms, which cover 67,000 hectares
• General cropping accounts for over 250 farms on more than 33,000 hectares. There are also 35 horticultural businesses over 1,700 hectares
• Specialist pig farms total approximately 40 with more than 93,000 pigs over around 1,500 hectares. This is the second highest across the Midlands region
• There are around 40 specialist poultry farms over 1,700 hectares. Broilers dominate followed by laying flocks, turkeys, breeding flocks, ducks and geese. There are also around 30 dairy farms covering 6,000 hectares
• Lowland grazing livestock covers over 12,000 hectares on around 370 farms. Nottinghamshire also has almost 41,000 cattle (including dairy cows) and more than 72,000 sheep (including lambs)
• There are around 100 mixed farms covering about 12,000 hectares and around 40 unclassified farms covering 175 hectares
• Farmers also manage more than 5,200 hectares of farm woodland and help to maintain around 1,740 miles of public rights of way
Shropshire
Shropshire has the full spectrum of agricultural commodities and is home to the UK headquarters of Muller and the base for other large food businesses including PDM Salad Growers, ABP and Oaklands Eggs.
With its extensive upland and lowland areas, Shropshire is the leading county in the Midlands for cattle and sheep grazing.
Key county stats
• More than 10,000 people work on farms across Shropshire, including almost 2,000 casual and part-time workers (not including figures for those working in allied industries and the food and drink sector)
• Farms generate £407 million for the economy and there are 3,873 farm holdings across 278,000 hectares. Total Income from Farming is £156 million
• 400 cereal-growing farms covering 53,000 hectares. General cropping can be seen on around 750 farms, covering 53,000 hectares, which is the second highest for this type of farm business in the Midlands
• Horticulture covers 1,800 hectares, with approximately 60 farms. Potatoes and field vegetables dominate, although there is also some top fruit
• Shropshire has 30 specialist pig farms, with more than 63,000 pigs over 700 hectares and there are around 280 dairy farms spread across 39,000 hectares
• Lowland grazing livestock covers 48,000 hectares and there are around 1,250 farms, while in the uplands there are close to 500 grazing livestock farms over 32,000 hectares. More than 228,000 cattle, including dairy cows, graze in the county, which is the highest number in the Midlands
• Total sheep (including lambs) is also the highest across the region, with almost 718,000 in an average year
• 120 specialist poultry farms can be found in the county, covering 11,000 hectares. Broiler production dominates followed by laying flocks, breeding flocks, turkeys, ducks, and geese
• Around 310 mixed farms covering 37,000 hectares, and 142 unclassified farms, covering 129 hectares
• Farmers also manage over 10,300 hectares of farm woodland and help to maintain over 3,480 miles of public rights of way
Staffordshire
Not short of beef producers and fruit and vegetables growers, Staffordshire is also well known for potato and cereal production.
The county is the largest in the Midlands for dairy production, with around 375 dairy farms found over 43,000 hectares - nearly a third of the total dairy businesses in the region.
Food lovers relish the county’s renowned Staffordshire oatcakes and it is home to JCB, Molson Coors, Two Sisters (Fox’s Biscuits), IAE, LM Bateman and McCain, among others.
Key county stats
• 9,600 people work on our farms, which generate £254 million for the economy. The figures do not include workforce numbers and the economic benefits of those in allied industries in Stoke-on-Trent and in the wider food and drink sectors in our county and market towns
• Farming generates a total income of £46 million and there are 3,345 holdings, farming more than 183,000 hectares between them
• 250 cereal farms covering an area of 36,000 hectares. General cropping accounts for around 620 farms, covering 28,000 hectares
• There are around 45 horticulture businesses, farming 1,500 hectares
• There are close to 60 specialist poultry farms, covering 1,600 hectares - broiler production dominates followed by laying flocks, breeding flocks, turkeys, ducks, and geese
• There are also around 35 specialist pig farms. These farms are home to almost 40,000 pigs on 1,100 hectares of land
• Lowland grazing livestock cover 34,000 hectares across 960 farms and the county also boasts nearly 700 uplands grazing livestock farms over 23,000 hectares
• More than 200,000 cattle (including dairy cows) and 283,000 sheep (including lambs)
• 180 mixed farms covering 14,600 hectares and 117 unclassified farms covering 350 hectares
• Farmers also manage around 6,500 hectares of farm woodland and help to maintain 4,747 miles of dry-stone wall, plus over 2,700 miles of public rights of way
Warwickshire
The county has a thriving farming industry and is home to the National Agricultural Centre
at Stoneleigh, where you can also find the headquarters of the NFU.
Major Warwickshire commodities include combinable crops, arable, livestock, horticulture and potatoes covering large sections of this lowland county, as well as its small section of the Cotswolds.
Key county stats
• More than 4,800 people work on farms across Warwickshire and 1,000 of these are casual workers, while farms generate £190 million for the regional economy. This figure does not include the contribution made by those working in allied industries and the wider food and drink sectors in our county and market towns
• Total Income from Farming is £57 million
• The total number of farm holdings stands at around 1,700, managing over 144,400 hectares of farmland
• 435 cereal farms, which cover an area of 74,500 hectares
• General cropping accounts for 325 farms, covering 16,400 hectares. There are also 45 horticultural businesses over 1,700 hectares
• There are around 20 specialist poultry farms over 600 hectares. Broilers dominate followed by laying flocks, breeding flocks, turkeys, ducks, and geese. Warwickshire also has 19 specialist pig farms with more than 42,600
pigs over 950 hectares. There are also 41 dairy farms covering 4,900 hectares
• Lowland grazing livestock cover 27,200 hectares on around 660 farms
• More than 50,600 cattle (including dairy cows) and 278,800 sheep (including lambs)
• 140 mixed farms covering about 17,800 hectares and approximately 40 unclassified farms covering 70 hectares.
• Farmers in Warwickshire also manage almost 6,500 hectares of farm woodland and help to maintain 1,750 miles of public rights of way
Worcestershire
There is a greater proportion of sheep and beef producers towards Worcestershire’s western border and both the dairy and arable sectors are well represented across the county.
Worcestershire is a real microcosm when it comes to farming sectors, extending from the urban fringe right across to the spectacular Malvern Hills.
Home to some outstanding farm businesses, it is also the base for Lea & Perrins, the Westbridge Food Group and others. Evesham Vale Growers is a stand-out example with enterprises growing asparagus and other field vegetables.
They also grow combinable and forage crops and rear beef cattle.
Key county stats
• 2,060 farms over more than 120,000 hectares. These generate £174 million for the economy, with 5,700 jobs on-farm, of which 1,500 are casual and part-time workers. Total Income from Farming is £68 million
• 300 cereal farms over 39,000 hectares, while general cropping accounts for 425 farms over 20,000 hectares
• Around 150 horticulture businesses covering 4,000 hectares
• There are more than 30 specialist poultry farms over 1,500 hectares. These are mainly broiler farms, followed by breeding and laying flocks, ducks, geese and turkeys. There are around 20 specialist pig farms on 50 dairy farms on 7,000 hectares of farmland
• Lowland grazing livestock on 840 farms covers 29,000 hectares and the county has more than 52,000 cattle
(including dairy cows) and 257,000 sheep (including lambs)
• 175 mixed farms, covering 18,000 hectares, and 73 unclassified farms, covering 233 hectares. Farms also manage more than 5,300 hectares of farm woodland and help to maintain around 2,860 miles of public rights of way
Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull & Coventry
Despite the area’s rich industrial and manufacturing heritage, agriculture more than plays its part in the regional economy in the West Midlands and the Black Country.
These farms on the urban fringe play an important role in connecting urban populations to where their food comes from.
These cities and towns also host a range of businesses from allied industries. Birmingham is home to Cadbury and Aston Manor Brewery and a real wealth of food manufacturers can be found across Coventry and into the Black Country.
Key county stats
• More than 600 people work on West Midlands farms, which generate £37 million for the regional economy. This figure does not include the contribution made by those working in allied industries and the wider food and drink sectors in cities and towns across the West Midlands. The total income from farming is £9 million
• The total number of farm holdings stands at around 250, managing over 21,000 hectares of farmland
• Defra statistics for the West Midlands show that there are around 50 cereal farms in the county, which cover an area of 6,700 hectares. General cropping accounts for around 40 farms covering 1,500 hectares
• Lowland grazing livestock covers 9,600 hectares on around 100 farms which are home to over 5,800 cattle and 20,300 sheep (including lambs)
• There are around 10 specialist poultry farms in the West Midlands found across 60 hectares. These are mostly laying flocks. The West Midlands is also home to around 1,300 pigs
• According to Defra, there are around 15 mixed farms covering about 1,000 hectares. Farmers in the West Midlands also manage around 300 hectares of farm woodland
Custodians of the countryside
Farmers are acutely aware of their environmental responsibilities to habitat and species but also to natural resources, including soil and water, on which their businesses depend.
Living and working at the heart of our iconic landscapes there is no one better placed to understand the challenges for our wildlife and climate.
Regional farmers and growers are world leaders in food safety, traceability and animal welfare, but also in environmental protection.
A large amount of the region’s farmland is in active environmental management, on a voluntary basis and through schemes, showing farming’s commitment to species and habitat. However, farm businesses need to be productive and profitable to be able to deliver the environmental benefits we all want to see.
Much of the farmland is best suited for animal grazing and regional businesses are making best use of that space to produce a great product. Farming in this way, over generations, has shaped the landscape, of which we are so fond. This farmland also conserves important carbon stocks in the uplands and lowland grass pasture.
Here in the Midlands, farmers also manage over 76,000 hectares of woodland, providing habitat for wildlife – this is enough to cover more than 121,000 football pitches. The Midlands is also home to 890 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and many border, or are on, our farms. These SSSIs are home to plants, animals and habitats that are rare or unique.
Those working the land are also working with our water companies and a variety of other firms and organisations to safeguard water supplies, improve habitat, protect pollinators and boost farmland bird numbers. To support this, there has been uptake of nutrient management plans across 80% of the Midlands farmed area and manure management plans across 85% of the relevant Midlands farmed area.
Case studies
Saya Harvey, Leicestershire
At Manor Farm, Saya has always followed the principles of integrated farm management to increase efficiency and to minimise any harmful effects on the environment.
A quarter of the farm is in some sort of wildlife habitat – 10% of this is new woodland, 5% is in field margins, 3% is in pollen and nectar or wild bird seed habitat and 7% is no-input grassland. The semi-natural grassland also protects a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Approximately two-and-a-half kilometres of hedges have been planted on the farm. These are managed by traditional laying and trimming which results in tall, wide, thick canopies with berries in the winter but also nice tight thorns to protect nesting birds from predators.
Other habitats on the farm include a 15-year-old woodland and several ponds. Since planting the woodland, they have seen an increase in the number of bird species on the farm from 45 to 60, including a pair of barn owls. A permissive right of way through the new woodland ensures that the whole community enjoys the farm, the wildlife and landscape.
Tom and David Tame, Warwickshire
Brothers Tom and David Tame are involved in tree growing trials on their 120-acre sheep farm that have slowly brought Warwickshire Walnuts and Granary Oils to life.
The farm has a 300-strong herd of Suffolk mule cross sheep that graze the nut orchards through a system called silvopasture – bringing trees, grass and livestock together in a symbiotic relationship.
Some of the waste product from the nut processing side of the business is also used to bolster the animals’ feed so it is a completely circular system, which is good for the environment and the farm’s carbon footprint.
The farm sells 90 percent of its total walnut crop as dried nuts to local people and much of the rest is sold as oil, some of which goes to a few select London restaurants.
“We have an extra income stream, we have more resilience in the business and the orchards are really good for capturing carbon in the grass, trees and soil, reducing our emissions,” said Tom.
Jessica Langton, Derbyshire
Jessica is a fourth-generation dairy farmer, with a predominantly Holstein and Friesian dairy herd along with a small number of Norwegian Red and Jersey cows.
The farm is all permanent pasture, with improvements to grassland achieved through managed grazing and allowing species of rye grass and clover to flourish. This has encouraged much deeper rooting and healthier soils with a vast array of biodiversity beneath the surface.
There are also fields that have restricted grazing to allow nesting birds to flourish, particularly the lapwing.
The farm is next to Langley Mill Wildlife, part of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, and its livestock graze and maintain woodland habitats.
To reduce energy usage, the farm has invested in newer, more efficient systems which use less energy.
The farm is also taking part in a trial for a seaweed feed supplement to reduce enteric methane emissions. This is part of Project Ecologeco at Enactus Nottingham at the University of Nottingham.
James Mottershead, Shropshire
James is a broiler producer from Shropshire and produces his own feed rations through on-farm home mixing, feeding his birds a mash-based diet.
Aside from poultry, the family business farms 1.000 acres of arable.
The business has also invested in renewable energy, with a 1 megawatt biomass boiler system, a 1 megawatt biomass CHP system, 500KW solar PV arrays and a 500 kilowatt
wind turbine.
Meet the NFU Midlands team
Click here for our staff contacts list.
Farm type classification
The statistics in this report have come from a variety of sources including Defra, and local authorities.
Those from Defra come from the latest June census and the figures give a snapshot of regional agriculture and horticulture.
Each holding in the census is assigned to a farm type indicating the main type of activity on the holding.
The method used to determine this is the Standard Output (SO), which is a measure of the total value of the output costs on a farm based on standardised factors.
Where an activity makes up more than two thirds of the SO, the holding is assigned to this main farm type.
Cereals – Holdings on which cereals and other crops generally found in cereal rotations account for more than two thirds of the total SO (e.g. oilseeds, peas and beans harvested dry).
General cropping – Holdings on which arable crops (including field scale vegetables) account for more than two thirds of the total SO and also holdings with a mixture of arable and horticultural crops which again account for more than two thirds of the total SO.
Horticulture – Holdings on which fruit (including vineyards), glasshouse vegetables and flowers account for more than two thirds of the total SO.
Specialist pigs – Holdings on which pigs account for more than two thirds of the total SO.
Specialist poultry - Holdings on which poultry account for more than two thirds of the total SO.
Dairy - Holdings on which dairy cattle account for more than two thirds of the total SO. Holdings inside “Less Favoured Areas” (LFA) are included within this group.
Upland grazing livestock - Holdings in LFA on which grazing livestock account for more than two thirds of the total SO.
Lowland grazing livestock - Holdings on which grazing livestock account for more than two thirds of the total SO. A holding is classified as lowland if less than 50% of its total area is in the LFA.
Mixed - Holdings on which neither crops nor livestock are the predominant activity. For these holdings the dominant activity will usually account for between one third and two thirds of the total SO.
Unclassified – Holdings which Defra does not have activity information for.
References
Rights of Way Improvement Plan for Derbyshire - Derbyshire County Council
GAEC 13 definitions - Final report (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Derbyshire spatial energy study
Peak District facts: Peak District National Park
Rights of way improvement plan 2018-2028 (herefordshire.gov.uk)
Herefordshire’s Cider Story | Visit Herefordshire
Leicestershire’s public rights of way stretch from Leicester to Greenland | Leicestershire County Council
Rights of Way Improvement Plan.pdf (rutland.gov.uk)
Lincolnshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007-2012
Draft-NCC-Rights-of-Way-Improvement-Plan-2018-2028-PFF-888.pdf (everdonpc.co.uk)
ROWMP 2018 - 2026 (nottinghamshire.gov.uk)
ROWIP Network Assessment 2017 Amended.pdf (shropshire.gov.uk)
ROWIP final resampled PDF web... (staffordshire.gov.uk)
WCCC-914-289 (warwickshire.gov.uk)
LTP3 ROWIP_Sept2010_RP_V3-1.docx (worcestershire.gov.uk)
Freshgro | Great British Carrots
Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Regional gross value added (balanced) by industry: all ITL regions - Office for National Statistics
Total Income from Farming in the regions of England in 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Agri-climate report 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)