Make a donation

Help fund our work to amplify nature-friendly farming’s benefits to farmers and policymakers across the UK

Policy & Views

Read a variety of articles, including topical blogs, comment pieces on policy developments and updates on key moments in farming.

Campaigns

Catch up with our latest campaigns and find out more about our work.

Farm Practices

Explore information on many aspects of nature-friendly farm practices.

What is the NFFN?

Discover our mission, our vision and the challenge we meet.

Meet The Team

Meet the farmers in our regional steering groups and the staff team at our core

FAQs

Got a question about nature-friendly farming? We've got it covered here

Supporters

We're proud to work with many organisations who support our mission.
News

Growing fruit, veg and pulses boosts farm resilience, NFFN poll finds

United Kingdom
climate action
Diversification
fruit and vegetables
food security
horticulture
soil health

Our survey suggests expanding these crops could help address UK food security pressures.

Growing vegetables, fruit and pulses is benefiting farmers’ resilience, soil health and profitability - at a time when the UK faces growing pressures on food security, according to a new NFFN poll.

A recent Government analysis published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) highlights that the UK is currently not able to be fully self-sufficient in food production. The report warns that improving food security will require big changes across agriculture.

Our survey findings suggest that expanding the production of non-cereal crops could play a key role in building this resilience, providing both environmental and economic benefits while contributing to a more diversified and sustainable domestic food supply.

The poll of our farmer members found that vegetables, pulses and fruit were the most common non-cereal crops being grown. A strong majority (90%) of these farmers reported clear benefits, including improved resilience through diversification, healthier soils and more varied income streams. 

However, most farmers are yet to make the shift, with just 38% of those surveyed having diversified. Almost one in three (29%) said they are actively considering growing fruit, vegetables or pulses in the future, indicating significant scope for growth. Around half of non-growers cited unsuitable soils or a lack of technical expertise as key reasons.

The survey results show that adapting to the impact of climate change is the most important benefit and motivating factor for diversification. A majority of the farmers already growing non-cereal crops (83%) reported encountering challenges, with the most common issues including dealing with pests, weeds and harvesting, along with low crop prices and limited local processing infrastructure.

We know that we need to urgently increase the amount of non-cereal crops we are growing in the UK. Where farms have diversified, the benefits are clear and measurable.

Martin Lines

Farmers identified financial incentives as the single most important factor in enabling further expansion, followed closely by access to reliable local buyers and investment in processing, storage and machinery, both on farms and across the supply chain.

Our CEO Martin Lines said: “We know that we need to urgently increase the amount of non-cereal crops we are growing in the UK. Where farms have diversified, the benefits are clear and measurable.

“However, there is still a lot of work to do before this kind of diversification is the norm. If we want to see more homegrown fruit, veg and pulses on British plates, the conditions need to be right to make diversification a realistic option for many more farmers. 

“When it’s so clear that this is a win-win situation for farmers, which can help them tackle some of the toughest issues our industry faces, we need to break down the barriers to make this approach to farming a straightforward choice for far more people.”

NFFN farmer Anthony Curwen, who is overseeing the return of veg growing to Quex Park in Kent, said: “We’re starting small, but bringing horticulture back into the rotation has real potential to improve profitability while improving our soils and biodiversity.

“Understanding your market is crucial. Diversification has helped us open up new opportunities, but many farmers don’t yet have that certainty. Making it easier to build viable routes to market would unlock a lot of potential.”

Cookie consent

We use cookies on this website to improve your experience, provide social media features, and analyse our traffic. By clicking Accept All, you agree to the use of cookies as outlined in our Cookie & Privacy Policy. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by clicking Cookie Settings.