Most UK livestock farmers say they would move away from intensive production systems if they had the financial backing to do so, but warn that a lack of support is preventing change on the ground.
Polling carried out for the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) shows overwhelming appetite among farmers to adopt nature-friendly livestock systems that improve climate resilience and long-term viability.
The survey, conducted by market research firm Savanta, found that 94% of farmers would switch to less intensive systems if the right incentives were in place, underlining the scale of interest across the sector.
Industrial livestock production is typically associated with high-density, indoor systems reliant on imported feed, veterinary inputs and tightly controlled genetics, rather than pasture-based farming.
The research found many farmers feel increasingly squeezed out of the market, with concerns that corporate interests are being prioritised over fairness and sustainability. Younger farmers, in particular, expressed anxiety about the dominance of industrial meat production and its impact on future opportunities.
Beyond production methods, the polling highlighted strong views on how public money should be used. Almost three-quarters of farmers said investment should focus on adapting to and mitigating climate change, while 83% believe funding should actively encourage a move away from industrial meat production.
More than half felt intensive livestock systems damage land, and 68% said their environmental impacts disproportionately affect smaller-scale farms, often leaving them less competitive.
As support for nature-friendly systems grows, the NFFN said governments and supply chains must provide long-term financial backing, trusted advice and fairer routes to market that deliver viable returns.
The organisation also warned that higher-standard UK production, with its associated costs, risks being undercut by imports produced to lower environmental and welfare standards.
Martin Lines, chief executive of NFFN, said: “More and more farmers recognise that an industrial livestock model won't regenerate our land or secure the long-term resilience of farm businesses.”
He said farmers want “‘the right animal in the right place’, with well-managed livestock working with landscapes to build soil fertility, support biodiversity and cycle nutrients through the soil, all while producing great-tasting food”.
He added that “many more farmers would move to diversified, nature-friendly systems” if the right backing was available, and said it was vital that high-standard UK food production was not undercut. “The Government and supply chains must recognise that nature and food production go hand in hand,” he said.
Amy Chapple, an NFFN farmer who farms alongside her parents in Devon, said younger farmers are increasingly exploring alternatives. “Younger farmers are more active online and on social media, which makes it easier to explore alternatives to industrial livestock production,” she said.
However, she warned that change brings risk. “It’s really encouraging that so many farmers are keen to change the way they work, but proper support is crucial. Making radical change isn’t easy when you have a family to support or have farmed the same way for decades.”
