Farm business survey - technical notes and guidance
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-17)

Technical information, notes and guidance on the farm business survey.

The Farm Business Survey (FBS) provides information on the financial position and physical and economic performance of farm businesses in England. The main uses of the FBS are to inform government policy making, for farm business advice, for benchmarking business performance and for research.

Data collection, methodology and confidentiality

The FBS collects detailed information from a sample of farms in England. Information about the survey, definitions and recording forms and instructions can be found below under FBS documents (https://www.gov.uk/farm-business-survey-technical-notes-and-guidance#fbs-documents). Within the FBS, farms are classified into particular farm types and size groups to aid analysis based on Standard Outputs and Standard Labour requirements respectively.

Every 4-5 years the Standard Output coefficients get updated to reflect the most up to date data in farming. The last update was applied to the 2017/18 FBS data. As the updating of coefficients cause a slight break in the time series, the FBS data is published on both the old and the new coefficients, to quantify the impact of the change. A description of the methods used to classify farms and an assessment of the impact of the 2014 change can be found here “Effects of standard output changes on Farm Business Survey (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/365563/fbs-effectsofstandardoutputcoefficients-21oct14.pdf)”.

The last update of Standard Labour Requirement (SLR) coefficients took place in 2009. To better reflect current labour use practice, a review and update of England’s SLR coefficients was carried out in late 2024. An overview of the methodology used and an assessment of the impact on size groupings for farm businesses in the FBS and holdings in the June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture can be found here: “Changes to Standard Labour Requirement Coefficients (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-standard-labour-requirement-coefficients)”

Farm incomes are broken down by four cost centres; agriculture, diversification, agri-environment activities and direct payments. Variable and fixed costs are allocated to each of these cost centres. The methodology for allocating fixed costs has previously been subject to a number of reviews with the most recent being documented below under FBS documents (see Methodology for the Allocation and Apportionment of Fixed Costs by Cost Centre (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/423700/fbs-fixedcostmethod-23apr15.pdf)).

In some years additional ‘modules’ have been included in the FBS to examine particular facets of the farm business in more detail. Some of the more popular modules such as those looking at enterprise margins and rents have now been moved into the core return and will be undertaken each year. A list and brief description of the additional modules that have been undertaken can be found below under FBS Modules (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/557606/fbs-modules-4oct16.pdf) .

The data collected from the FBS relates to individual farms and is treated in the strictest confidence. Strict data confidentiality processes are in place to ensure the identities of farms and growers that participate in the survey are not divulged and any grouped data that is published adheres to disclosure rules to ensure individual farms cannot be identified. Our policy statement on confidentiality can be found below under FBS documents (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1105070/fbs-Data_Confidentiality_and_Disclsoure_Policy__Undertaking_2022.23_20sep22.pdf%20%20).

Organisation, governance and legal base

The FBS is commissioned by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) with Promar International (https://promar-international.com/farm-business-survey/) contracted to undertake the recruitment of farms and growers into the panel of farms that participate in the survey with onward collection and submission of the data to Defra.

There are two committees in place to govern the operation of the FBS. The first is the FBS Project Board which plans and monitors the programme of work for the FBS. It also acts as a contract managing body between Defra and its contracted partner.

The second is the FBS Technical Group which advises on the methodology and technical aspects of the UK Farm Business Surveys, including co-ordination of outputs for the United Kingdom as a whole.

Participation in the FBS is voluntary and Defra relies on public task as its legal basis for processing the data. Some of the data is also used to fulfil Defra’s legal obligations under the Agricultural Holdings (Units of Production) (England) (No. 2) Order 2021/1440.

Access to FBS data for research

Anonymised farm level FBS data can be made available to bona fide researchers under strict conditions. Requests for access should be submitted to the Economic and Social Data Service, UK Data Archive (http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/), University of Essex. This should be the first point of contact for researchers wishing to gain access the anonymised FBS data.

Whilst the anonymised data can be obtained, researchers cannot gain access to FBS participants or their personal information (e.g. for further interviews or studies) because FBS co-operators agree to take part on the basis that their identity will always remain confidential.

FBS documents

The following documents show what information is collected on the FBS and how it is recorded.

Technical notes
- Calibration Weighting for the Farm Business Survey (FBS) in England – November 2025 update (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calibration-weighting-for-the-farm-business-survey-fbs-in-england-november-2025-update) (HTML)
- Changes to Standard Labour Requirement Coefficients (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-standard-labour-requirement-coefficients) (HTML)
- Changes to Farm Typology: Use of 2017 Standard Output Coefficients (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/changes-to-farm-typology-use-of-2017-standard-output-coefficients) (HTML and ODS, 19.3 KB)
- Effects of standard output coefficients on the farm business survey (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7de596e5274a2e8ab44850/fbs-effectsofstandardoutputcoefficients-21oct14.pdf) (PDF, 326 KB, 8 pages)
- Farm classification in the United Kingdom (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/641073c8e90e076cd09acda9/fbs-uk-farmclassification-2014-14mar23.pdf) (PDF, 440 KB, 16 pages)
- EU typology handbook (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7ee1b0e5274a2e8ab48cb4/fbs-farmmanage-eu-typology-handbook.pdf) (PDF, 388 KB, 74 pages)
- Methodology for the allocation and apportionment of fixed costs by cost centre (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a816e7b40f0b6230269744f/fbs-fixedcostmethod-23apr15.pdf) (PDF, 42.8 KB, 8 pages)
- Definitions used by the Farm Business Survey (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80f39ce5274a2e87dbcbd9/fbs-definintions-4oct16.pdf) (PDF, 498 KB, 12 pages)
- Farm Business Survey Modules (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80aff440f0b62305b8c94f/fbs-modules-4oct16.pdf) (PDF, 129 KB, 2 pages)
- Farm Business Survey - Statistical Information (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a802eed40f0b62302692020/fbs-statisticalinformation-4oct16.pdf) (PDF, 227 KB, 4 pages)
- The Farm Business Survey Privacy Notice 2021/22 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63185e60e90e077dc0c6d67e/fbs-privacynotice-2021_22-07-sept-22.pdf) (PDF, 296 KB, 5 pages)
- The Farm Business Survey Privacy Notice 2022/23 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/631094a18fa8f504b2dded96/fbs-privacynotice-2022_23-01sep22.pdf) (PDF, 281 KB, 10 pages)
- Data confidentiality and disclosure protection for the Farm Business Survey (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5da0545040f0b66859708662/fbs-confidentialitypolicy-14oct19.pdf) (PDF, 587 KB, 7 pages)
- FBS Data Confidentiality and Disclosure Policy & Undertaking 2022.23 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/632998b98fa8f53cbb71c16d/fbs-Data_Confidentiality_and_Disclsoure_Policy__Undertaking_2022.23_20sep22.pdf) (PDF, 175 KB, 6 pages)
- Methodology for the Calibration Weighting for the Farm Business Survey in England (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b3e1fa8ed915d39deab9405/FBS_Weighting_Methodology_5july2018.pdf) (PDF, 235 KB, 2 pages)
Recording forms

For a copy of the FBS recording form and/or code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) for any year after 2019/20 please send an email to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).
- 2019/20 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ee0cc74d3bf7f1eb8c5eed7/fbs-fas24-201920_11jun20.pdf) (PDF, 1.33 MB, 86 pages)
- 2018/19 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d932497e5274a2fb1019bfe/fbs-fas24-201819_1oct19.pdf) (PDF, 1.05 MB, 84 pages)
- 2017/18 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ca226be40f0b625e0da21b5/fbs-fas24-201718_1apr19.pdf) (PDF, 2.02 MB, 86 pages)
- 2016/17 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a81b2b4ed915d74e6233aa7/fbs-fas24-201617_10Mar17.pdf) (PDF, 883 KB, 87 pages)
- 2015/16 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f8f01e5274a2e8ab4ce78/fbs-fas24-201516_09feb17b.pdf) (PDF, 1.05 MB, 86 pages)
- 2014/15 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f6eb9ed915d74e622a6c1/fbs-fas24-201415.pdf) (PDF, 2.75 MB, 82 pages)
- 2013/14 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7491eded915d0e8e39941c/FBS_FAS24-23_2013-14_Black.pdf) (PDF, 604 KB, 79 pages)
- 2012/13 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7d525a40f0b60aaa293bb5/fbs_fas24-23_2012-13.pdf) (PDF, 652 KB, 87 pages)
- 2011/12 FBS recording form and code booklet (FAS 24 and 23) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7c1dffe5274a25a91408ff/fbs-fas24-201112.pdf) (PDF, 200 KB, 81 pages)
Instructions for data collection

For a copy of the ‘Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return’ booklet for any year after 2019/20 please send an email to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).
- 2019/20 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ee0cc9dd3bf7f1eb2043f19/fbs-instructions-201920_11jun20.pdf) (PDF, 2.45 MB, 250 pages)
- 2018/19 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d9775eae5274a596f829b80/fbs-instructions-201819_04oct19.pdf) (PDF, 2.36 MB, 242 pages)
- 2017/18 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ad73b83e5274a76c13dfcc1/fbs-instructions-201718_18apr18.pdf) (PDF, 3.86 MB, 239 pages)
- 2016/17 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a74f129e5274a3cb28686b7/fbs-instructions-201617_06nov17.pdf) (PDF, 951 KB, 244 pages)
- 2015/16 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80dd7740f0b62305b8d95b/fbs-instructions-201516_22dec16.pdf) (PDF, 1.6 MB, 246 pages)
- 2014/15 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a8052aaed915d74e622dc9f/fbs-instructions-201415.pdf) (PDF, 4.14 MB, 249 pages)
- 2013/14 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7e39cae5274a2e8ab46a6f/FBS_Instructions_2013_14_Apr14.pdf) (PDF, 3.82 MB, 226 pages)
- 2012/13 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7c5bc9ed915d696ccfc3d7/fbs-instructions-201213.pdf) (PDF, 1.75 MB, 241 pages)
- 2011/12 Instructions for collecting the data and completing the farm return (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7c017ee5274a7202e18f4d/fbs-instructions-201112.pdf) (PDF, 1.82 MB, 238 pages)
Defra statistics: Farm Business Survey

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