Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones highlights lack of diversity in UK farming

Entrepreneur Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, known as ‘The Black Farmer’, is highlighting the lack of racial diversity within the United Kingdom’s agricultural sector. He notes that while many people of color have rural origins abroad, there are significant barriers to entry for minorities within Britain.

According to a 2025 survey of principal farmers and holders in England conducted by Defra, 99.7% of respondents self-described as white. Emmanuel-Jones identifies several systemic obstacles for aspiring minority farmers, including a lack of inherited land, absence of established professional networks, and limited access to agricultural knowledge typically passed down through farming families.