Delivering insight. Supporting resilience. Shaping the future of farming.
What is the Farm Business Survey?
Promar delivers the Farm Business Survey (FBS) in partnership with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The FBS is one of the longest-running agricultural research programmes in the world, tracing its roots back to 1936.
Originally established to understand farm incomes during the interwar years, it has since evolved into a nationally representative survey that captures the financial, physical, and environmental performance of over 1,500 farms across England every year.
A Trusted Source of Agricultural Insight
Today, the FBS continues to provide essential data that underpins decisions at both the farm and government levels – informing everything from sustainability initiatives to rural economic planning.
Our team of Research Officers delivers the survey through direct engagement with farmers, ensuring data quality, regional representation, and valuable insight back to those who take part.
How Farmers Benefit from Taking Part
Joining the Farm Business Survey gives farmers access to:
- Free Xero accounting software for as long as a farm is in the survey
- A free, independent analysis of their farm’s financial performance
- Benchmarking tools to compare results with similar farms
- Insights into costs, margins and productivity to support better decision-making
- A chance to help shape future policy by contributing to a national evidence base
Join the Survey
If you are a farmer interested in taking part in the FBS, we’d love to hear from you. It’s free to join, and participation is simple and confidential.
Need Farm Business Survey Data?
The Farm Business Survey dataset is a vital resource for policymakers, researchers, academics, and industry professionals who want to better understand the realities of farming in England.
If you’re interested in accessing anonymised FBS data or learning more about how our insights could support your work, please get in touch with our team or visit our website Free Farm Business Analysis – Farm Business Survey