The figures for our model combinable crop business, Loam Farm, have been updated following the 2026 harvest. Financial results are poor for the third year in a row.
The variability of yields experienced by arable farmers this year should be remembered when looking at the results for Loam Farm. It is only a single business and, although it aims to show the overall picture for combinable crop returns, it cannot show the diversity across the sector. Loam Farm is a notional 600 hectare business that has been used since 1991 to track the fortunes of British combinable crop farming. It is based on real-life data. It is partly owned and partly rented, has a working proprietor plus one full time member of staff and harvest casual. It grows wheat, oats, beans and barley and has a SFI agreement (a ‘core’ agreement signed in 2024 with additional options added in 2025).
The figures for the model have recently been updated for the actual yields for the 2026 year. This has reduced output, although this is partly offset by higher prices than used in earlier budgets. The 2026 year is not quite final as the farm still has some grain to sell – the outcome is unlikely to change greatly however.