Defra data shows lower income for most farm types but small boost from payments for nature-friendly schemes

Income fell on almost all farm types in England last year, as extreme weather hit yields and the government cut subsidies.

Farmers fear future hits to their industry after a hugely unpopular change to agricultural property relief which means some farms will be saddled with a large, unexpected tax bill, and a surprise, severe cut to the EU-derived basic payments scheme meaning a shortfall in cash that they had not predicted.