ADR UK Research Fellows: Administrative Data | Agricultural Research Collection

This project aims to explore the following research questions:

1. How does farm household reliance on non-farm earnings differ across regions, farm type, and farm family household composition and characteristics? 
2. To what extent are different farm-family households reliant on agricultural and other subsidies for their total farm-family household income? 
3. Do farm-family household financial hardship levels differ substantially from those of non-farm rural households, accounting for type of employment? 

The methodology used in this study:

• By engaging with farmers, farming organisations and policymakers in workshops and meetings, I will define and refine the research questions of interest, including sharing initial findings with these groups to help refine further research work. 
• Using Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data, I will estimate typical earnings for different occupations. Using Farm Business Survey data, I will estimate business profit as a percentage of turnover for different farm types across regions. Together, these results will allow me to join more data to the newly available AD|ARC dataset for England and Wales, creating a new dataset for analysis. 
• Using findings from ASHE and Farm Business Survey when added to the AD|ARC data, through statistical analysis I will quantify farm household financial sources, reliance, resilience and hardship. This will include analysing farm household financial hardship levels relative to non-farm rural households.   

Funded value: £153, 020 (full economic cost) 

Duration: October 2024 – March 2026 

This project aims to explore the following research questions:

1. What are the socio-demographic, economic and business characteristics of farm households? 
2. To what extent are farm household characteristics specific to the farming community or reflective of rural communities in general? 
3. What distinct farming household subgroups can be identified, based on farmer, farm household, and farm business characteristics? What kind of farming-household typology, emerges from this subgroup analysis? 
4. Does farmer engagement with voluntary farm support schemes vary according to sub-group? 
5. Do the health characteristics of farmers and farming households vary according to sub-groups?  

The methodology used in this study:

• Using the AD|ARC dataset I will use a mostly descriptive approach to profile farm households in England and Wales. This will be in terms of certain characteristics for:
  • farmers (e.g. farmer age, gender, ethnicity, education)
  • farm households (e.g. household members age, gender, ethnicity, education, employment, individual income, total household income, household composition, number who work on and off the farm)
  • farm businesses (e.g. number of farmers and non-farmers, employed workers, agricultural training, farm activity, area of land, total subsidy payment).
• These profiles will be compared with those of the rural community, to highlight characteristics specific to the farming community or reflective of rural communities in general. 
• Through statistical analysis and consultation with farmers, farming organisations, and policymakers, I will group farming households based on farmer, farm household and farm business characteristics to develop a new farming-household typology. Using this newly derived farming-household typology, I will identify patterns around the take up of different agricultural support schemes, and the health and wellbeing of farming households. 
• The project will be supported by the AD|ARC project team and will engage with farmers, farming organisations and policymakers throughout to help refine the research design, discuss our findings, and ensure policymakers understand the findings. I will hold a knowledge exchange series to enrich impact and foster skills development across the research community. 

Funded value: £189,105

Duration: October 2024 – March 2026