It’s January and 2025 is still young, so I thought it was about time we looked at the impact of the RDP Farming Readership Survey on the UK Agri-Business sector over the last 12 months. 

We all know that Farmers are active users of social media, and we at RDP craft communication plans for our clients to harness this. However, the question remains: has the rise of social media engagement come at the expense of traditional farming magazines and website consumption? And if so, to what extent? With over 50 print and digital media brands targeting the farming community, are all these magazines being read and websites visited? Which ones are engaging farmers the most, and to what degree? Our survey provides the answers. 

Key Insights from the Data 

After analysing more than 1,000 responses across various farming sectors, our survey reveals three essential insights: 

• Average Issue Readership (AIR): Data on the number of farm business owners regularly reading specific print magazines. 

• Website Audience Profile: Insight into which farming websites attract farm business owners. 

• Audience Duplication: The extent to which farm business owners engage with more than one farming magazine or website. 

These insights have proven invaluable for shaping media strategies for clients such as Lallemand, NFU, Syngenta and Yara, ensuring they can maximise advertising impact while remaining cost-effective in reaching segmented farming audiences.  

What Makes Our Survey Unique? 

Our survey stands out from other farming media consumption studies for several key reasons. While many surveys claim to offer similar audience insights, our methodology sets ours apart: 

Structured Comparability: Unlike other surveys that lack standardised metrics, we follow industry-standard methods like TGI and PAMCO, allowing for meaningful, comparable data across different platforms. 

Clear Terminology: Many surveys suffer from confusing terminology, which can skew results. We avoid jargon, using language that resonates with farm business owners to ensure clear, reliable data. 

Accurate Segmentation: Our survey segments respondents by farm type and location, offering tailored insights that reflect the diverse media preferences across farming sectors. This provides a clear picture of which farmer types engage with specific publications and websites. 

Methodology Overview 

We pride ourselves on the clarity and precision of our data collection process, which includes: 

Filter Questions: Participants were asked about their media usage in the past 12 months, focusing on frequency and recency of engagement. 

Customised Screening: Respondents provided detailed information about their farm type and location, allowing for more specific media recommendations. 

Logo-Driven Selection: To reduce bias, we showed participants logos of magazines and websites to ensure they recognised and engaged with the media they were familiar with. 

All data was weighted according to DEFRA’s official statistics, ensuring it accurately reflects the UK’s farming population. 

Key Findings: The Farming Media Landscape 

Our survey unveiled notable patterns in media consumption across different farming sectors: 

Print Readership: 56% of respondents read at least one general farming magazine regularly. Readership varies by sector: 67% of arable farmers, 58% of dairy farmers, 55% of beef farmers, and 53% of sheep farmers engage with farming magazines. 

Livestock magazines perform particularly well among dairy farmers, but only 15% of beef farmers engage with these publications. 

Smaller farms (<50 hectares): show lower engagement, with only 37% reading any general farming magazine. 

Website Usage: 48% of respondents visited at least one farming website in the past four weeks, with 30% visiting in the last seven days. 

Arable farmers are the most active online, with 54% engaging with farming websites, followed by dairy (45%), beef (46%), and sheep farmers (44%). 

Horticultural websites significantly outperformed magazines, attracting larger audiences. 

Implications for Farming Marketers 

The insights from our survey provide a clear direction for marketers within the farming industry: 

Tailored Marketing Strategies: With segmented data, marketers can craft targeted messages that resonate with specific farming sectors—whether arable, livestock, small-scale, or others. 

Balanced Media Mix: The survey highlights the importance of combining print and digital platforms, allowing marketers to reach farmers across multiple channels and maximise engagement. 

Data-Driven Decisions: Accurate, sector-specific data enables marketers to allocate budgets more efficiently and create campaigns with measurable impact. 

Looking Ahead 

As the only structured media survey of its kind in the UK farming industry, the RDP Farming Readership Survey sets the standard for actionable insights. By bridging marketing best practices with the unique needs of the farming sector, we empower marketers to connect with their audiences in a meaningful and effective way. Stay tuned for future updates as we continue to refine and expand this invaluable resource.