Economy facts
- Currently 5.5 million people are employed by the rural economy, which is worth £300 billion per year
- Over half (51%), of English farms have diversified beyond their core farming activities
- Tough economic conditions still face agriculture with a recent plummet in commodity prices and volatile input prices
- The agri-food industry accounts for 6.5% of the total UK economic output
- Domestic food and drink manufacturing contributes 22 billion to the UK economy and there is a real risk it could be eroded without
a healthy farming base
- Agriculture underpins the rural tourism sector which generates an estimated £14 billion and supports 25,000 businesses every year
