2024 Knight Frank Rural Sentiment Survey

Thank you very much for taking part in the 2024 Knight Frank Rural Sentiment Survey

With a new government just elected, 2024 is set to be a pivotal period for the UK's rural property owners.

Global commodity markets remain volatile, agricultural support is in a period of flux and there is continued focus on natural capital and nature-based solutions, but what does this all mean for your estate and farming businesses?

Your answers to this short survey will help us to gauge how these factors are affecting our clients and partners across the rural economy and how to form the best strategy for your property moving forwards.

Please be assured all responses are anonymous.

As a sign of our appreciation, you will have the chance at the end to provide your details and be entered into a draw to win a case of award-winning English Rosé from Folc, one of the UK's most innovative winemakers.

Question Title

* Where is your rural property or business based?

England

Scotland

Wales

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* Please describe the option that best describes your rural property or business (please tick all that apply)

Traditional estate

Sporting estate

In-hand farm

Tenanted farm

Leisure/tourism business

Advisory/consultancy business

Other rural business (please provide details)

Question Title

* To help us ascertain whether different businesses are experiencing different challenges, it would be useful if you you could tell us for approximately how long in years you or your family has owned your property or business.

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* Compared with this time last year, how optimistic are you about the outlook for your business?

A lot less

Slightly less

No change

Slightly more

A lot more

If you’d like to explain your choice please do so in the box below

Question Title

* Which of the following issues do you feel are adversely affecting your rural business? Please chose all that apply

Planning issues

Crime

Fly tipping

Poor mobile/broadband connectivity

Farm-gate commodity prices

Price pressure from retailers

Input and energy costs

Borrowing costs

Tax issues

Labour availability

Government rural policy/legislation

Succession worries

Reduction in Basic Payment Scheme subsidies

If you’d like to explain your choices or add any other issues affecting you please do so in the box below

Question Title

* In your personal view, how important do you think it is for farms and estates to deliver the following?

	Very unimportant	Slightly unimportant	No opinion	Slightly important	Very important
Food	Food Very unimportant	Food Slightly unimportant	Food No opinion	Food Slightly important	Food Very important
Renewable energy	Renewable energy Very unimportant	Renewable energy Slightly unimportant	Renewable energy No opinion	Renewable energy Slightly important	Renewable energy Very important
Climate change mitigation	Climate change mitigation Very unimportant	Climate change mitigation Slightly unimportant	Climate change mitigation No opinion	Climate change mitigation Slightly important	Climate change mitigation Very important
Boosting biodiversity levels	Boosting biodiversity levels Very unimportant	Boosting biodiversity levels Slightly unimportant	Boosting biodiversity levels No opinion	Boosting biodiversity levels Slightly important	Boosting biodiversity levels Very important
Benefits for the local community	Benefits for the local community Very unimportant	Benefits for the local community Slightly unimportant	Benefits for the local community No opinion	Benefits for the local community Slightly important	Benefits for the local community Very important
Passing on a sustainable business to the next generation	Passing on a sustainable business to the next generation Very unimportant	Passing on a sustainable business to the next generation Slightly unimportant	Passing on a sustainable business to the next generation No opinion	Passing on a sustainable business to the next generation Slightly important	Passing on a sustainable business to the next generation Very important

If you’d like to explain your choices or add any other issues affecting you please do so in the box below

Question Title

* Thinking about food production specifically, do you think individual farming businesses should feel responsible for the UK’s food security?

Yes

Don't know

If you’d like to explain your answer please do so in the box below

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* Have you started to manage your farm or rural property in a more environmentally friendly way?

Yes

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* If no, why is that the case? Please choose all that apply

I don’t believe it is necessary

I don’t think we should be producing less food

I am unsure of what to do or don’t have enough information to make the right decisions

It will reduce my income

I think it will devalue my property

I am worried about the tax issues

My tenancy agreement prevents me from doing so

I can’t because my farming tenants are not interested

I already farm in as environmentally friendly a way as possible

If you’d like to explain your choices or any other reasons please do so in the box below

Question Title

* If yes….what motivates you to farm in a more environmentally friendly way?

It will save me money by cutting input costs

Influence of peers

Public pressure

I need the environmental payments to make up for the loss of BPS

Extra income in general

I need to improve my soils

The food I produce will be healthier

I want to see more biodiversity on my land

I enjoy nature conservation

It is important we all tackle climate change

I think it makes my products more saleable

My customers (grain traders/retailers etc) require me to

Other quality standards like Red Tractor etc

It will boost the value of my property

It provides other nature-based benefits like flood mitigation

It makes my property a nicer place to live

It ties in with my sporting interests (shooing/fishing)

My children want me to

For the benefit of the local community

If you’d like to explain your choices or any other reasons please do so in the box below

Question Title

* What measures have you taken so far? Please choose all that apply

I have conducted a natural capital baseline study of my property

I have conducted a carbon audit of my farm

I have made any residential properties more energy efficient

I have planted more trees

I have installed some kind of renewable energy system

I have switched to an organic system

I have made my farming system more regenerative

I am (or am considering) rewilding all or part of my property

I have joined (or am considering joining) the Sustainable Farming Initiative

I have joined (or am considering joining) the Countryside Stewardship+ scheme

I have joined (or am considering joining) a Landscape Recovery project

I have joined the woodland carbon code

I have joined the peatland carbon code

I have joined another voluntary carbon scheme

I am using some of my land to create Biodiversity Net Gain or other units

If you’d like to explain your choices or share any other actions you’ve taken please do so in the box below

Question Title

* If you haven't done them already, what measures do you plan to take in the future? Please choose all that apply

Conduct a natural capital baseline study of my property

Conduct a carbon audit of my farm

Make any residential properties more energy efficient

Plant more trees

Install some kind of renewable energy system

Switch to an organic system

Make my farming system more regenerative

Rewild all or part of my property

Join the Sustainable Farming Initiative

Join the Countryside Stewardship+ scheme

Join (or am considering joining) a Landscape Recovery project

Join the woodland carbon code

Join the peatland carbon code

Join another voluntary carbon scheme

Use some of my land to create Biodiversity Net Gain or other units

Question Title

* Have you applied for any grant funding to help you farm in a more environmentally friendly way?

Yes

If you'd like to explain your answer or share your experience of grants please do so in the box below

Question Title

* How satisfied were you with the support that the previous government provided for rural business?

Very unsatisfied

Slightly unsatisfied

No opinion

Slightly satisfied

Very satisfied

If you'd like to explain your answer please do so in the box below

Question Title

* How confident are you that the new Labour government will do a better job than the previous administration?

Not at all confident

Slightly unconfident

Not sure

Slightly confident Very confident

If you'd like to explain your answer please do so in the box below

Question Title

* Have you ever received a copy of The Rural Report?

Physical copy

Email with download link

Never received one

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* How do you prefer to read it?

Online

A printed publication

I am not interested in receiving it

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* Do you like the content of the report or find it useful?

Yes

Question Title

* Do you have any suggestions about what we could do to improve the report or content we could include?

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* Do you have any feedback on the report e.g. length, time of year, design and layout

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* How do you usually keep up to date with the latest news, updates and legislation changes?

Online via specific searches

Magazine publications online

Magazine publications printed

Email newsletters

Social Media

X (formerly Twitter)

Facebook

Instagram

Podcasts

You Tube

2024 Knight Frank Rural Sentiment Survey

Thank you very much for taking part in the 2024 Knight Frank Rural Sentiment Survey

Question Title

* Where is your rural property or business based?

Question Title

* Please describe the option that best describes your rural property or business (please tick all that apply)

Question Title

* To help us ascertain whether different businesses are experiencing different challenges, it would be useful if you you could tell us for approximately how long in years you or your family has owned your property or business.

Question Title

* Compared with this time last year, how optimistic are you about the outlook for your business?

Question Title

* Which of the following issues do you feel are adversely affecting your rural business? Please chose all that apply

Question Title

* In your personal view, how important do you think it is for farms and estates to deliver the following?

Question Title

* Thinking about food production specifically, do you think individual farming businesses should feel responsible for the UK’s food security?

Question Title

* Have you started to manage your farm or rural property in a more environmentally friendly way?

Question Title

* If no, why is that the case? Please choose all that apply

Question Title

* If yes….what motivates you to farm in a more environmentally friendly way?

Question Title

* What measures have you taken so far? Please choose all that apply

Question Title

* If you haven't done them already, what measures do you plan to take in the future? Please choose all that apply

Question Title

* Have you applied for any grant funding to help you farm in a more environmentally friendly way?

Question Title

* How satisfied were you with the support that the previous government provided for rural business?

Question Title

* How confident are you that the new Labour government will do a better job than the previous administration?

Question Title

* Have you ever received a copy of The Rural Report?

Question Title

* How do you prefer to read it?

Question Title

* Do you like the content of the report or find it useful?

Question Title

* Do you have any suggestions about what we could do to improve the report or content we could include?

Question Title

* Do you have any feedback on the report e.g. length, time of year, design and layout

Question Title

* How do you usually keep up to date with the latest news, updates and legislation changes?

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* Which magazines, newsletters, podcasts or other channels do you engage with regularly?