United Kingdom

Agriculture in the United Kingdom uses around 70% of the country's land area, around 17.2 million hectares and produces high quality cereals, oilseed rape, sugar beet, potatoes and vegetables, fruits and increasing bio-fuel crops from skilled farmers, high technology, fertile soils and EU subsidies. Considered an agricultural centre of excellence with world-class knowledge-base in genetics, plant science and livestock improvement, there is an increasing awareness that farmers here also play an important role as custodians of the British countryside and wildlife. Boasting many native breeds of livestock, as well as keen preservation of rare breeds and increasingly popular agricultural shows, the visitor will enjoy the varied and diverse landscape whilst visiting traditional, modern and diversified farms.