The NFU has hit back at claims in The Economist that farming is “almost irrelevant to the British economy”, calling the suggestion “simply wrong”.
In a letter to the magazine, NFU Deputy President David Exwood highlighted the sector’s economic importance, stressing that British farming is at the heart of the country’s largest manufacturing industry.
The article in question, ‘In some ways, rural Britain is changing faster than its cities’, argued that “it is often said that farming is almost irrelevant to the British economy, and this is true. What is less appreciated is that farming is barely relevant even to the rural economy.”
Mr Exwood said such a portrayal ignores the reality of farming’s contribution, not only to food supply but also to jobs, tourism and local communities.
Responding directly, he wrote: “The idea that farming is ‘irrelevant’ to the rural economy is simply wrong. British farming underpins the UK’s largest manufacturing sector: food and drink, which is worth £153.2 billion to the economy and supports 4.2 million jobs.
"If that’s ‘barely relevant’, then so is the weekly shop, the school lunch and the pint pulled at the local pub.”
Citing regional examples, Mr Exwood noted that in Suffolk – one of the areas referenced in The Economist’s article – agriculture alone contributes £1.4 billion to the local economy and sustains more than 8,000 jobs.
Nationally, farmers spent more than £20 billion in 2024 on goods and services ranging from feed and fertiliser to energy and veterinary care, underpinning thousands of supply chain jobs.
Farming’s role in rural tourism was also underlined, with the sector contributing £11.5 billion annually. Thousands of farmers and growers provide accommodation, catering and leisure activities, while also maintaining the landscapes that attract millions of visitors from across the world.
Mr Exwood further pointed to a recent rise in applications to agricultural colleges as evidence of the sector’s continuing appeal and future relevance.
He also reminded readers that political leaders have acknowledged farming’s importance: “Even Keir Starmer once recognised the sector’s importance, stating that he knows a thriving farming sector is vital for the economy and the nation’s future, and agriculture has been recognised as one of the government’s priorities in its own Industrial Strategy.”
Concluding his response, the NFU deputy president rejected the notion that agriculture is in decline: “Farming isn’t fading into irrelevance. It’s evolving, adapting and driving rural Britain forward.
"The real problem isn’t that farming’s out of touch – it’s that too many commentators are.”
