Organic Farmers are a Brighter Bunch

Archived

Tuesday, 18 October 2005

A Defra commissioned report published by Exeter University’s Centre for Rural Research examines the ‘astonishing impact that organic farming is having on England’s rural economy’. Of the 640 farmers surveyed, nearly half of the new organic farmers had a degree or higher qualification – a far larger proportion than the general population. The report also found that organic farmers were on average six years younger than their traditional counterparts, with a much higher proportion of farmers aged 45 and under.
Co-author of the report, Matt Lobley of Exeter University, says: ‘If you look at the population of organic farmers, far more of them come from non-farming backgrounds. They have different skills and different attitudes and are very entrepreneurial.’
Source: www.soilassociation.org