Social Licence to Farm and ‘Good Farming’: Farmer and Public Expectations

This factsheet brings together material from the public and farmer surveys, exploring the similarities and differences between farmers’ and the public’s understanding of what is ‘good farming’ and ‘social licence to farm’, based on 2023 survey results.

Producers and consumers share a mutually beneficial relationship. Many public respondents feel close to the farmers that produce their food.

Takeaways for everyone:

• Public and farmers have similar conceptions of social licence.
• Public and farmers both suggested ways social licence can be gained or maintained. These include being socially and environmentally friendly, maintaining local connections, and being transparent.

Takeaways for farmers:

• Ninety-eight percent of the public surveyed say they have visited a farm in the past 10 years, and 65% have interactions with a farmer, so they believe they may have some level of familiarity with farming.
• Farmers and the public share a mutually beneficial relationship. Seventy-three percent of the public respondents feel connected to the farmers that produce their food.
• Clear, concise communication and transparency of on-farm practices is likely to lead to more support and social license for the primary industry now and into the future.

Takeaways for the public:

• Farmers are trying to be socially and environmentally responsible in how they farm.
• Not all farming practices noted as important by the public are easily visible, so take the time to talk to and get to know a farmer and learn more about what they are doing on their farm.