Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research his Department is conducting on new diversification schemes for farms.

Final results of the 2015/16 Farm Business Survey in England show that 62% of farms now have some form of diversification and nearly a third of total farm business income comes from diversification enterprise including renewable energy, letting buildings for non-agricultural use, and on-farm processing and sales of farm produce. This is becoming an increasingly important aspect of farm income, especially as businesses look to reduce exposure to the volatility of agricultural commodities markets. We continue to hold regular meetings with stakeholders and are conducting analysis on a range of issues to inform future agriculture policy.