Farmers took an average of £29,700 from their business in 2004/2005, while they made £28,200, the study of 60,800 farm household incomes found.

Richard King, business researcher at farm business consultant Andersons said the results, which showed private drawings exceeded farm income for seven out of the last ten years, were “not sustainable.”

“The figures don’t look good because more money is being taken from business than they can stand,” he said.

“Farms can perhaps get away with this for a couple of years to get over a slump but it’s been going on for a long time now.”

Source: FWi