Our new NFFN survey also shows that many farmers do not know how to supply schools and hospitals, missing opportunities to boost income.

Farmers across the UK are largely unaware of public procurement schemes that would allow them to supply food to schools, hospitals and other public organisations, according to our survey.

Polling of our members reveals a significant missed opportunity for farms to diversify their incomes while supplying high-quality, locally grown produce to the public sector.

More than three-quarters of respondents (77%) said they either did not know about public procurement schemes or were unsure how to apply to them. Farmers reported that schemes were overly complex, designed for large contractors, offered low payments, and required high upfront investment.

Despite these barriers, there is strong support among farmers for change, with 86% of respondents agreeing that clearer guidelines would make it easier for them to supply food to public organisations.

Our CEO Martin Lines said: “Public procurement could provide a vital income stream for nature-friendly farmers, while also helping schools and hospitals access high-quality, nutritious food.

“Our survey shows that too many farmers do not know how to access these opportunities, or are discouraged by perceived barriers to entry. This is a huge missed opportunity to boost the viability of farm businesses, many of which operate on tight margins.

“The Government has set a target for 50% of public sector food to be sourced locally as part of its Food Strategy, but we are far from achieving that goal. Simplifying the procurement process, paying fair prices, reducing red tape, and opening contracts to smaller independent farms could make a real difference. These changes will not happen automatically and will require leadership from ministers to drive them."

Farmers are losing out on £1billion in public money a year because they are struggling to understand how they can supply local schools, hospitals and other public organisations.

NFFN farmer Anthony Curwen, who is reintroducing veg growing on his farm in Kent, said: “Being a commodity grower can feel like running faster and faster on a treadmill. Public procurement, if done right, offers farmers real opportunities and hope for the future by giving them options.

“Farmers need to understand what local communities or public sector organisations need before diversifying. Countries like Denmark are leading the way, and we could learn a lot from their best practice examples.”