Telling the Story of Agriculture: Making an Impact Through Media & PR

Agriculture's Narrative Shift

In late 2025, consumer sentiment towards British agriculture climbed to unprecedented levels, with 71% of UK consumers expressing positivity—a marked increase from 67% in 2024 and the peak since tracking started in 2019. Trust in farmers stands at 77%, ranking second only to doctors among professions. This shift stems partly from heightened interest in food origins, especially among younger demographics, and the growing role of social media in delivering relatable, farmer-led stories that bypass traditional outlets.

Yet this goodwill arrives against a backdrop of acute pressures. The Labour government's 2024 budget introduced inheritance tax reforms, applying a 20% rate to agricultural assets over £1 million from April 2026, prompting months of protests involving tractors in Westminster and warnings from the National Farmers' Union (NFU) of a severe cashflow crisis. Many farmers expressed doubts about enduring into 2026, citing volatile weather, input costs, labour shortages, and policy flux post-Brexit. Although the government softened some elements after sustained action, uncertainty lingers, amplified by broader challenges like climate variability and potential reductions in environmental scheme funding.

The sector also grapples with a 'BANI' world—brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible—as described in the 2026 Oxford Farming Conference report, where shocks from geopolitics, trade, and weather compound instability. Public support offers leverage, but a quarter of consumers still feel poorly informed, often due to contradictory messages or inaccessible sources. This creates tension: while mainstream coverage sometimes amplifies crises or protests, farmer-driven digital channels enable direct, authentic outreach.

Non-obvious angles include the trade-off between maintaining high public approval and navigating regulatory demands for sustainability, where intensive practices face criticism yet remain vital for productivity. Social media's rise allows rapid narrative control but risks misinformation if not managed strategically. For agri-tech innovators and producers, clear communication bridges consumer expectations for ethical, transparent food systems with on-farm realities of economic survival.