A lot of farmers sell up, their children can't handle the hours, the dedication. I heard that dairy farms are increasingly in the hands of big companies with the herd kept indoors the entire year, poor cows. As for statistics: Record Sector Closures: A record 6,365 agriculture, forestry, and fishing businesses closed down in the 12 months leading up to June 2025. This marks the highest rate of sector closures since the Office for National Statistics (ONS) began tracking quarterly figures in 2017. [1, 2] Net Loss of Farms: The sector is shrinking rapidly. While over 6,300 businesses closed, only 3,190 new ones opened, leading to a net loss of 3,175 rural businesses in a single year. Main Drivers Behind the Crisis Farmers are dealing with an accumulation of financial pressures that are forcing them out of business: Dwindling Profit Margins: A recent Farmdex report revealed that 35% of British farmers are making a loss or merely breaking even, largely due to the phased reduction of post-Brexit subsidies. Rising Input Costs: Spiralling costs for fertiliser, feed, energy, and labor (compounded by National Insurance hikes) have made smaller family operations unviable.
