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Yorkshire and the Humber is an important source of raw materials for the growing bio-based economy. Our farmers are highly innovative and the industry is supported by world-class agri-tech research.

One of the UK’s most important agricultural regions

  • rears 36% of the UK’s pigs
  • almost 70% of the region is farmland
  • produces 12% of England’s agricultural output and 10% of its agricultural workforce
  • two of the UK’s most respected agricultural colleges – Askham Bryan and Bishop Burton

Grows a wide range of crops

  • with 17% of the UK’s cereal area, all the UK’s major arable crops are produced (wheat, oilseed rape, barley, sugar beet, potatoes, peas, beans, maize)
  • specialist oilseed and fibre crops (borage, industrial hemp)
  • one of the UK’s largest areas of energy crops (short rotation coppice willow, miscanthus)

Diverse agricultural businesses

  • the world’s largest pea-processing plant in Hull
  • over 11,000 farming, forestry and fishery enterprises
  • regional bases for Cargill, Syngenta, Frontier, AB Agri and Limagrain
cereal

Our region is home to over 11,000 farming, forestry and fishery enterprises.