The Farm Business Survey (FBS) at Newcastle currently involves 230 farms across Northumberland, Cumbria, Co. Durham and Tyne and Wear. There is no extra record keeping required and the service is completely free.

Participating farms receive a detailed set of Farm Management Accounts with a comparative analysis against a group of similar businesses. An annual benchmarking guide is available to all participating farms.

The Farm Business Survey is widely recognised as the most authoritative and impartial source of Farm Business Information in England, It's supported by;

• farming unions
• Country Land and Business Association (CLA)
• Tenant Farmers Association (TFA)

The survey is part of a nationwide network involving six other universities and agricultural colleges which operate together as Rural Business Research. Data is collected to a common methodology allowing national comparisons to be made.

More detailed Farm Group data and enterprise reports are available from the Farm Business Survey website.

The FBS at Newcastle is regularly engaged in agri-business research,  agri-environmental and other related research activities for both private and public sector interest groups.

The operation is largely financed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) where the information is used to inform government decisions and monitor policy impacts.

The data ultimately becomes part of the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) of the European Union where the Newcastle data forms part of FADN Region 410, England North.

Recent publications

• Organic Farming in England 2016-17 (PDF: 1MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2016-2017 (PDF: 1MB)
• A further investigation into the impact of the ban on neonicotinoid seed dressings on oilseed rape production in England 2015-16 (PDF: 1MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2015/2016 (PDF: 1.4MB)
• Organic Farming in England 2015/2016 (PDF: 1MB)
• Organic Farming in England 2014-2015 (PDF: 3MB)
• An interim impact assessment of the neonicotinoid seed treatment ban on oilseed rape production in England v2 (PDF: 7MB)
• Organic Farming in England 2013-2014 (PDF: 1.88MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2013-14 (PDF: 9MB)
• Hill Farming England 2014-15 (PDF:2MB)

Older publications

• Organic Farming in England 2012-13 (PDF: 3.35MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2013-14(PDF: 9.3MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2012-13 (PDF: 1.32MB)
• Organic Farming in England 2011-12 (PDF 6MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2011-12(PDF: 782MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2010-11 (PDF: 777KB)
• Hill Farming in England 2009-10(PDF: 4.6MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2008-09(PDF: 3.5MB)
• Hill Farming in England 2007-08(PDF: 3MB)
• The Economics of Oilseed Rape Production (PDF: 1.26MB)