The Farm Business Survey (FBS) is widely recognised as the most authoritative research survey of the financial position and business performance of farmers and growers in England.

It is commissioned by Defra and supported by the farming unions, CLA and TFA. The survey is strictly confidential. It informs the government of the true economic situation facing farmers and growers; used for agricultural and environmental policy decision making. Participating farmers and growers are provided with comprehensive farm management data including individual farm management accounts and comparative data with similar farms. It is also designed to be of benefit to farming and land management interest groups, plus researchers.

The FBS is conducted in the South West by a team of Research Officers, plus support staff, based either at Duchy College at Stoke Climsland and Bicton College. Our unique knowledge of the industry and management accounting, plus the co-operation of farmers and growers, makes it possible for us to complete approx. 300 accounts per year.

The FBS team is headed by Keith Robbins and Mark Fogerty. Research Officers: Greg MacQueen and Sally Thompson are based at Bicton. Jamie Blake, Caroline Lambourne, Linda Lawrance and Warren Sanders are based at Duchy College.

The FBS is conducted in England by Rural Business Research (RBR) an independent consortium of six Universities and Colleges.

The Rural Business School has published its Farm Business Management Digest 2021, containing a brief summary of the economic situation in the South West England plus the benchmarking data from the Farm Business Survey for the 2019-2020 financial year.

More details can be found on the Rural Business Research website and Farm Business Survey website.