DO YOU REALLY KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE?
In the six years we've been publishing our annual Marketing to Farmers Report, there's one fact that’s been undeniably clear. There is no single ‘farmer’ audience.
There’s no catch-all persona. No single marketing approach that can target every farmer. And this year, the data is even clearer. The farming audience is fragmenting in many different ways.
To reach them - on the right channel with the right content and the right message - you need to really understand them. Not just their age or their buying habits, or their farm type, but their mindset and their motivations. That’s what our Marketing to Farmers data can really dig into.
This year we surveyed more farmers than ever before1,255. We uncovered more insight into buying intentions, brand expectations and marketing effectiveness than ever before. And we identified how search behaviour - how farmers discover information - is changing.
As per previous years, we’ve donated £5 for every completed survey to farming charities, including Yellow Wellies, RSABI, Rural Support, and the Farming Community Network - a total of £6,275.
There’s some more positive news too. Despite all the challenges farmers face, your audience isn’t going anywhere, with over 83% of farmers looking to continue in farming - either growing, diversifying or staying the same.
You’ll find all the key insights in this report, but if you want to really understand your audience and use this data to run marketing campaigns that really perform... then get in touch.
We’d love to chat.
Andy Venables Chief Executive Officer
01260 541400
andy@hillsgreen.co.uk
KEY INSIGHTS
MINDSET MATTERS MORE THAN EVER.
Farmers are increasingly polarised in how they make decisions based on their ambitions and challenges.
83% OF FARMERS INTEND TO GROW, DIVERSIFY OR STAY THE SAME
OVER HALF OF FARMING DECISIONS ARE INFLUENCED BY FARM INPUT COSTS
OVER THE TOP 3 CHANNELS
INFLUENCING DECISION MAKING ARE PEOPLE-FOCUSED
1.
2.
3. OTHER FARMERS EVENTS ADVISORS
20% OF FARMERS ARE INFLUENCED BY EMAILS
73% OF FARMERS CONTINUE TO USE FACEBOOK REGULARLY
100% YOY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FARMERS USING LINKEDIN REGULARLY
FARM SIZE HAS A CLEAR, TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE ON THE TYPES OF MARKETING CONTENT THAT ARE EFFECTIVE.
80%
OF FARMERS RATE PRICING AND AVAILABILITY AS THE MOST USEFUL PIECE OF CONTENT
IMMEDIACY RULES IN FARMER BEHAVIOUR. THEY LOOK FOR INSTANT INSIGHTS AND VALUE PRACTICAL INFORMATION.
WHEN RECOMMENDING A PRODUCT:
26.4% 26.8%
FARMERS WANT GENUINE, REAL-WORLD EVIDENCE OVER VAGUE CLAIMS.
8.8%
SURVEYED
FARM TYPE OR FARMER MINDSET?
Stop thinking about farmers as one large audience. This year it’s clear that the ‘farming audience’ continues to evolve, and is more complex than ever.
It’s not just age, location or farming type that differentiates farmers, it’s their intentions, their motivations and their ambitions that change both buying habits and receptiveness to marketing.
FARMER BUSINESS INTENTIONS
With over 83% of farmers looking to continue in farming, these findings paint an incredibly positive picture for our industry. The resilience of British farmers is stronger than it’s ever been.
FARM
OR FARM
Farm size impacts business intentions. Think about whether you’re marketing to a
(typically under
acres) or a farm business.
THE BEDROCK
TYPE: Farm
MINDSET: Preservation
DECISION-MAKING ROLE: Sole (but influenced by neighbours’ experiences)
PRIMARY PAIN POINTS: Profits squeeze, regulation burden, succession planning, a long time in the job
DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR: WhatsApp for local network, online market price checks RESPONDS TO: Face to face reps. Use cases.
SHOW ME IT WORKS, SHOW ME IT PAYS, THEN WE'LL TALK.
PERSONA
PROGRESSIVE V PRESERVATION
Mindset matters, and farmers are increasingly split into two main camps - those focused on growth and those prioritising stability. WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
64.7% 44.7% OF UNDER 34s WANT TO GROW OR DIVERSIFY OF 35-64YR OLDs WANT TO STAY THE SAME
We’ve identified 8 key personas to help target your marketing - updated with farm type and mindset for 2026.
There are many more - the more specific you can get, the stronger your marketing will be.
1. Find the persona that aligns as close as possible with your product or service. 2. Segment your messaging based on farm size and/or farmer mindset.
FARMER SENTIMENT IN 2026
Year after year, financial factors affect farmers most - cashflow, input costs and profitability. Their focus is primarily money; your marketing should always reflect this. But for the second year running, climate and weather-related factors nudged into the top 3.
FACTORS IMPACTING FARM:
THE FINANCIAL FRETTER
TYPE: Farm
MINDSET: Preservation
DECISION-MAKING ROLE: Main. He controls the purse strings and is reluctant to spend PRIMARY PAIN POINTS: Financial insecurity, cash flow, fears making wrong choice
DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR: Online forums and research, searching for deals and offers RESPONDS TO: Flexible finance. Testimonials and proven use cases
I’D LOVE TO INVEST, BUT WE JUST DON’T HAVE THE CAPITAL RIGHT NOW.
TYPE: Farm
MINDSET: Progressive
DECISION-MAKING ROLE: Joint - researches and recommends
PRIMARY PAIN POINTS: Proving ideas and suggestions, justifying spend
DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR: Active on Instagram and TikTok, following influencers, using software, consuming webinars and podcasts
RESPONDS TO: Data and trial results. White papers. ROI calculators
I KNOW DATA AND TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP US FARM SMARTER.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Climate messaging needs to be tied to farmer mindset and immediate impact to resonate. Farmer concerns centre on cost factors above sustainability.
40.3%
50.0%
OF FARMERS CITE CLIMATE CHANGE & WEATHER AS A PRESSURE POINT
OF FARMERS WHO INTENDED TO DIVERSIFY CITE CLIMATE CHANGE
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
1.
Look at how you can adapt or reframe your offer to directly address financial pressures - e.g. free trials or payment plans.
2. Prioritise practical messaging over aspirational. Farmers need to know what changes on farm right now.
THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE
Each year, we’ve tracked how farmers spend time online - from social media to search, product research to checking market prices.
In 2026, farmers are looking for information and insight across a wide range of channels and platforms. When searching for new products, or reviewing options before buying, farmers search on a wide range of channelsnot just traditional search engines like Google, but in AI and social media platforms like TikTok and ChatGPT.
WEEKLY ONLINE ACTIVITY %
TYPE: Farm Business
MINDSET: Progressive
DECISION-MAKING ROLE: Joint - Final sign off, but looks to others for recommendations
PRIMARY PAIN POINTS: Managing big budgets, impact of Gov. policy, operational clarity
DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR: Professional requirement - LinkedIn, business news, premium publications RESPONDS TO: Traditional B2B - content focused on enterprise-level ROI and risk mitigation THE FARM CEO
Farmers
But does this stat account for the use of AI in search engines and across other platforms?
1.
2.
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
Farmers are online for immediate, practical reasons - so make sure your digital messaging is useful in driving decisions.
With no ‘single’ channel to search for information, consider where your brand needs to show up based on your audience persona.
SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS
The big social media platforms remain dominant for farmers - with Meta (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) leading the way. If you want to reach a farming audience of any age, Facebook is the place to be.
However, channel choice should always be aligned with the age, mindset and buying stage of your primary target persona.
MOST POPULAR % USED DAILY
LEAST POPULAR % NEVER USED
FARMERS NEVER
THE ASPIRING AGRONOMIST
TYPE: Farm Business
MINDSET: Progressive
DECISION-MAKING ROLE: Future influencer - no buying decisions yet, but she’s absorbing information everywhere
PRIMARY PAIN POINTS: Proving herself, lacking experience, needs to learn fast DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR: LinkedIn - for professional work, Instagram and TikTok for her passions RESPONDS TO: LinkedIn & event presence (to attract her to a job role). White papers and guides to expand her knowledge
I WANT TO APPLY THE THEORY IN THE REAL WORLD AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE
THE GENERATIONAL DIVIDE
Younger farmers are on different platforms - and not just for entertainment. In particular, TikTok is increasingly used like a search engine for many under 34s researching products and services.
% OF UNDER 34s USING DAILY
57.6
WHAT CAN YOU NOW?
1.
KEY PERSONA
Make sure your brand has a strong presence on Facebook - it’s the single best channel to be on, year on year.
2. If your audience skews younger, focus your efforts on creating more effective video content for platforms like TikTok.
WHAT BUYERS WANT TO KNOW
When farmers are researching and browsing online, there’s one piece of content they value above all else: pricing and availability.
If farmers are in buying mode, immediacy and practicality is key. They want to see what it costs, what it’s like and when they can get it.
MOST USEFUL FORMS OF
PURCHASE CONTENT
TYPE: Farm
MINDSET: Progressive
DECISION-MAKING ROLE: Joint - values collaboration from her team
PRIMARY PAIN POINTS: Finding ethical and ecological products, aligning market with ethos, labour intensive DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR: Niche Facebook and forum communities, Instagram and blogs RESPONDS TO: Scientific studies. Insights and knowledge-based content. Genuine brand value alignment
GREEN GUARDIAN PROFIT IS IMPORTANT, BUT SO TOO IS OUR ECO-SYSTEM KEY
PROOF OVER PROMISE
Farmers want to see proof-related content, but the value of those isn’t as high as you might expect. That’s because farmers don’t trust polished case studies, tailored trials or edited testimonials - especially as they get older. They need to be real and relevant.
44.6% UNDER 34s % VALUING CASE STUDIES OR FARM RESULTS
41.2% 35-54
37.4% OVER 55s
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
1.
Don’t hide your pricing. Buyers want to see it and value upfront transparency on costs and availability.
2.
When you’re sharing case studies, trial results and demos, don’t over-polish them. Farmers want the real thing.
WHAT FARMERS BUY
We asked farmers what they’re likely to buy in the next 12 months. The results clearly show that despite financial pressures, farmers are keen to continue with purchases as usual.
SHOULD YOU BE MARKETING YOUR SOFTWARE DIFFERENTLY?
Smaller farms still need software, but if they’re not buying at the same levels as larger farms, perhaps your messaging needs adjusting.
28.3%
PRIORITIES FOR FARMERS IN 2026
Product/category likely to purchase
THE DRIVEN DIVERSIFIER
TYPE: Farm Business
MINDSET: Progressive
DECISION-MAKING ROLE: Main - with support from family
PRIMARY PAIN POINTS: Juggling multiple roles, variable income streams, public pressure
DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR: Marketing-focused. Facebook, Instagram and online platforms to promote businesses RESPONDS TO: Anything that saves time, anything that can be used for her own marketing
WE STAY RESILIENT BY LOOKING AT NEW REVENUE STREAMS
WHY FARMERS BUY
When recommending a product to others, farmers value different benefits:
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
1.
2.
Build marketing content that’s focused on two clear categories - financial benefits and performance improvements.
Make sure your messaging communicates the immediate, real-world impact your product has on farm - the simple ROI.
WHAT INFLUENCES FARMERS
Farmers continue to turn to a wide range of sources when deciding what to buy. Recommendations from other farmers remain the highest single factor but their influence has declined from 2025.
top 3 channels influencing farmers are people-focused:
The question is how do you influence these influencers? Is your marketing aimed at encouraging farmers and advisors to recommend your product or service? With so many channels influencing the decision making process, your content needs to be easy to remember and easy to share.
THE OPERATOR KING
TYPE: Farm
MINDSET: Preservation
DECISION-MAKING ROLE: Influencer - no buying authority but his views carry weight
PRIMARY PAIN POINTS: Poor, unreliable machines, comfort, clunky software, tools not fit for purpose
DIGITAL BEHAVIOUR: Always online. TikTok shorts, Instagram reels and YouTube videos RESPONDS TO: Product/machine specific content. Feature demos, comparisons and influencer reviews
WHICH CHANNELS INFLUENCE
THE BUYING DECISION?
WHY A STRONG BRAND MATTERS
Brand recall also influences the buying decision. We asked farmers which brands and businesses had caught their eye, and why they were front of mind.
THE MOST POPULAR MARKET CATEGORIES
While farmers could recall their preferred brands from a range of products and services, there were some clear categories - and market leaders - who stood out.
42.9% FARMERS LOVE THEIR KIT - AND MACHINERY BRANDS KNOW HOW TO CAPITALISE ON IT.
ADVERTISING EARNS ATTENTION. REPUTATION EARNS SALES.
With the vast majority of farmers saying they’re going nowhere, what brand does to get noticed and be remembered matters more than ever. There won’t be a change in buyers - farmers in the driving seat will still be there years later. Building reputation and trust earlier is essential.
40.6% 30%
OF FARMS OVER 1751 ACRES CITE BRAND REPUTATION & TRUST AS KEY
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
1.
Sense check your current reputation with your customers. Ask them what they think about your brand - what stands out for them - and use the results in your marketing.
WHERE TO GET STARTED
From the 2026/27 Marketing to Farmers Report, it’s clear that farmers value different content, at different times, based on different circumstances. Your marketing needs to reflect that - segmenting by situation (farm type, age, mindset and motivations), with the right messaging, on the right channels, at the right point in the buying journey.
OF 18-44YR OLDS CITE STRONG ADVERTISING & MEDIA FOR BRAND RECALL (COMPARED WITH 13.5% OF 45+ YR OLDS)
2.
Remember that what attracts your audience and puts your brand front of mind isn’t the same as what makes them buy. Make sure you’re clear on the difference.
1. SEGMENT BY SITUATION, NOT JUST FARM TYPE
2. LEAD WITH PRACTICAL VALUE, NOT BRAND PROMISES
3. BUILD TRUST THROUGH PROOF AND PEOPLE
