A poll at a recent succession planning webinar for farmers showed that only 17 out of 40 had a will despite agriculture being one of the most dangerous sectors.
The informal poll's result is consistent with the national statistic that less than 50 percent of adults in the UK have a will in place.
And it comes despite the agriculture sector having one of the UK's highest number of fatal injuries in the workplace.
Law firm Clarke Willmott LLP are encouraging farmers to write a will due to the complexities around family businesses and succession planning.
The company says it is 'surprising' to see that few farmers attending its webinar had a will in place, particularly as the average age of a farmer is 59.
Tom Chiffers, a partner at Clarke Willmott said: “We are urging farmers to take the simple steps to write a will to protect their loved ones and their business.
"Farming businesses are also complex and we are currently in a period of great change following Brexit and the government’s Agricultural Transition Plan (ATP).
"We expect to see a significant drop in funding for all farmers at the end of 2027 so there are many compelling reasons for farmers to get their affairs in order now."
The recent webinar, in association with the NFU, focussed on succession planning and the firm’s new Which Will? tool, a free service for farmers.
The tool prompts them to think about what is important to them when making a will and recommends which will best meets their needs.
Andi Witcombe, NFU County Adviser for Wiltshire, said there had never been a more important time to make sure farm businesses were 'fit for the future'.
“We encourage all farmers to start open and honest discussions with family and business partners about succession if they haven’t done so already - sooner really is far better than later."
