Nearly 200,000 visitors attended events as farmers opened their gates to showcase food production and environmental stewardship
OPEN Farm Sunday marked its 20th anniversary this year with hundreds of thousands of people visiting farms across England, Scotland and Wales to learn more about food production, nature and the countryside.
The annual event, established in 2006 by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), has become one of the farming industry’s biggest public engagement initiatives, with initial estimates suggesting almost 200,000 visitors attended farms taking part in this year’s celebrations.
A total of 283 farms registered events, with around a quarter opening their gates for the first time. Visitors were given the opportunity to see first-hand how farmers produce food while caring for the environment.
Open Farm Sunday Manager Annabel Shackleton said the anniversary year highlighted the importance of connecting the public with modern farming.
“Open Farm Sunday continues to capture the public’s imagination, and they are so grateful for the chance to step beyond the farm gate and connect with the people that produce their food,” she said.
“This year’s 20th anniversary has been a wonderful reminder of the pride, care and commitment that backs up British farming.
“There is a huge appetite among the public to learn more about farming with nature in a fun and engaging way, and the high standards our industry works to.”
Research commissioned by LEAF ahead of the event found strong public support for both food production and environmental protection.
The survey of more than 2,000 people found that 93 per cent believe it is important for the UK to maintain a strong food production capacity, while 89 per cent said protecting nature on farms is essential for long-term food security.
Mrs Shackleton said the findings demonstrated why events such as Open Farm Sunday remain important.
“These results show why Open Farm Sunday matters. It gives farmers the space to show how they care for soils, wildlife, water and the wider countryside, and a chance to have important conversations in a positive, engaging and practical way,” she added.
Since its launch in 2006, Open Farm Sunday has welcomed more than 3.65 million visitors onto farms across Britain.
Among those celebrating the milestone was Cambridgeshire farmer Michael Sly MBE, who hosts the largest individual Open Farm Sunday event in the country and has welcomed more than 120,000 visitors over the past two decades.
“We started with 12 people attending in 2006 and now host around 10,000 visitors,” he said.
“Over the years, it has become a community event that the village has really got behind. Other farmers come and volunteer their time to help and engage with the public, and that ability for farmers to work together relates back to normal farming as well.”
LEAF thanked farmers, volunteers, sponsors and industry supporters for helping make the event a success, as well as the hundreds of thousands of visitors who attended across Britain.
Next year’s Open Farm Sunday will take place on June 13, 2027.
