NFYFC says farming in England and Wales faces a serious generational challenge
Only 5% of farmers in England are under 35, prompting fresh calls for urgent action to bring more young people into agriculture.
The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) wants the proportion of under-35s working in the sector to rise to 15% by 2036, warning that farming in England and Wales faces a serious generational challenge.
Its new AGRI Ambition paper, Proud to Farm, has been launched ahead of National Young Farmers’ Week 2026 and focuses on barriers including access to land, finance, housing, training and business opportunities.
The paper says the average farmer in England is now over 59, with more than a third aged over 65. In Wales, the average age is 60, while around 3% of farmers are under 25.
NFYFC argues that unless more is done to attract and retain younger people, the industry could struggle to maintain a strong domestic farming workforce in the years ahead.
One of those highlighted in the report is Emily Mosley, 27, from Derbyshire, who wants to expand her family’s 50-acre farm and small suckler beef herd.
She says access to capital is one of the biggest obstacles facing younger farmers trying to grow a business.
“I think there should be a next generation/new entrant loan with 0% interest. Something like that would be so good for the next generation because it would allow them to get capital to give them a chance.”
Mosley said the financial pressure goes beyond paying rent, with young farmers also needing money for livestock, machinery and day-to-day running costs.
“The main thing for the next generation is helping us access the capital. When farmers are starting out renting land, it’s not just the rent that’s the issue – it’s the working capital – buying the equipment, livestock etc for the day-to-day running, as well as paying the rent.”
The NFYFC paper calls for government and industry to work together to remove what it sees as longstanding barriers to entry and progression.
Its proposals include making sure young farmers and new entrants are not disadvantaged when applying for Environmental Land Management schemes or grants that require applicants to contribute significant capital themselves.
It is also calling for better access to farm tenancies, including the preservation of council farms and measures to encourage landlords to make more opportunities available to younger farmers as older Agricultural Holdings Act tenancies come to an end.
NFYFC also wants agricultural workers to be recognised as key workers to improve access to affordable rural housing.
The organisation says young farmers should have a greater role in shaping agricultural policy and wants improved access to high-quality land-based education and training.
YFC AGRI chair Nathan Greenwood said the sector risks losing young talent if these barriers are not addressed.
“Without action to address these obstacles, the sector risks losing a generation of talent at the very moment it is needed most.”
The report also features other young people facing similar pressures.
Hadley Glover, 21, a fifth-generation farmer from Kent, has highlighted difficulties accessing local training, while Suffolk crop technician Harry Petfield, 29, is struggling to find affordable rural housing.
NFYFC chair Jessica Rose said the paper was intended to set out what younger people need if they are to build viable careers in farming.
“YFC AGRI’s Ambition Paper: Proud to Farm is about more than the future of farming. It is about the future of our countryside, our food security and our rural economy.”
She added: “The next generation are eager to succeed, but they need the right opportunities and support to fulfil their potential.”