Organic farm incomes in England and Wales 2013/14

Summary

This report presents results of research on the financial performance of organic farms in the 2013/14 financial year (with 2012/13 data for reference). This research, partly funded through the Welsh Government, continues on from the Defra funded project; OF0373 and previous work on the economics of organic farming carried out at Aberystwyth University (Projects OF0190, covering 1995/96 to 1998/99 and OF0189, covering 1999/00 to 2004/05).
In 2013/14 the profitability (Farm Business Income) of most organic farm types was similar to that of comparable conventional farms, confirmed by no statistically significant t-test results, except for some year to year changes within farm types. Although organic farms received greater agri-environment payments per hectare than conventional holdings, the majority of their income originates from livestock and cropping outputs, but a high level of support payments compared to total income is found for both organic and conventional cattle and sheep holdings.