Agriculture business ideas with startup costs over £20,000
55 ideas
These 55 agriculture ideas need serious upfront money, usually for land, equipment, vehicles, buildings or stock. They suit people who have savings, access to finance or existing farming and trade experience, and who are ready to work hard for a steady income rather than a quick start.
Honey farm with hives across local sites
Run dozens of hives on farmland sites, with your own honey brand sold to shops, online and at markets.
- £8k-35k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Pick-your-own farm with a farm shop
Run a larger pick-your-own site with several crops, a small farm shop and a team of seasonal helpers.
- £20k-90k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Bonsai grower supplying garden centres
Run a small nursery growing bonsai and supplies for garden centres, gift shops and trade buyers.
- £5k-25k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small-scale horse or pony breeder
Breed one to three mares a year on your own land and sell foals or youngsters to riders.
- £5k-25k
- Side hustle
- From home
Full-time stud breeding and producing youngsters
Run a small stud with several mares, raise and start youngsters, and sell them on to riders.
- £30k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local irrigation supply unit for growers
Stock pipe, pumps, sprinklers and drip kit from a small unit for farms, nurseries and landscapers.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Beef cattle on rented land
Buy young cattle, graze and finish them on rented land, then sell to markets or processors.
- £10k-50k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small grape-growing plot for wineries
Plant a few acres of vines and sell the grapes to established English wineries.
- £15k-70k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Small estate vineyard with your own wine
Grow grapes, have them made into your own English wine, and sell direct to visitors, shops and restaurants.
- £50k-250k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Organic market garden with veg boxes
Grow organic vegetables on a few acres of rented land and sell through veg boxes, farm shops and restaurants.
- £8k-30k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Smallholding with eggs, meat and produce
Keep a small flock or herd on a few acres and sell eggs, meat and produce direct to local customers.
- £5k-25k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small orchard selling direct to local customers
Grow apples or pears on a few acres and sell at markets, farm gates and to local shops.
- £5k-25k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Arable farm on rented land using contractors
Rent or contract-farm fields, grow cereals or oilseeds, and hire contractors for heavy jobs rather than buying machinery.
- £30k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small-scale field vegetable grower
Grow field vegetables such as potatoes, onions or brassicas on a few rented acres and sell to packers and wholesalers.
- £15k-60k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Hedge cutting and field work contractor
Cut hedges and verges and do odd field jobs for farms and landowners with a tractor-mounted flail.
- £8k-35k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Small livery yard
Stable and care for other people's horses on a yard you rent or own, with DIY or part livery.
- £5k-30k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small-scale foal breeder
Breed one or two quality mares each year and sell well-handled foals or youngsters to riders.
- £5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Stallion at stud and mare services
Stand a stallion and offer covering or AI services to mare owners, alongside breeding your own foals.
- £50k-250k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small inshore prawn boat
Run a small licensed boat catching prawns in local waters and sell to merchants, markets or restaurants.
- £20k-100k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Small suckler beef herd on rented grazing
Keep a few breeding cows on rented fields and sell their calves to other farmers, dealers or abattoirs.
- £10k-40k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Calf rearing and cattle finishing
Buy young calves, rear them on milk and grass, then sell them on as store cattle or for beef.
- £8k-30k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Fresh produce wholesaler with a small unit
Rent a small unit with cold storage, stock fruit, veg and other farm produce, and deliver to food businesses.
- £8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Full-time wholesale nursery on rented land
Run a working nursery with polytunnels and beds, supplying garden centres, landscapers and retailers year-round.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Mobile farm supplies van
Drive a stocked van round local farms with tools, parts and fast delivery, backed by friendly after-sales help.
- £8k-30k
- Part-time
- Out and about
About these ideas
Examples include a farm machinery workshop, an indoor recirculating tank fish farm and a full-time wholesale nursery on rented land. Others, such as a fresh produce wholesaler with a small unit, depend more on buyers and logistics than on land. Before you commit, work out your full startup cost, including a cushion for slow months. Check whether you need to rent or buy, what permissions your site might require, and whether you have customers lined up. Talking to someone already trading in the same area is often the best first step.
More ideas
- Mobile milking machine service and parts
- Vegetable wholesale from a small unit
- Full-time livestock dealer with own trailer or lorry
- Full-time small farm selling beef, lamb or pork direct
- Orchid nursery for florists and retail
- Hay and bedding yard with own barn
- Pumpkin patch with autumn events
- Full and part livery yard
- Small freshwater trout pond farm
- Indoor recirculating tank fish farm
- Small trade nursery for landscapers and gardeners
- Orchard growing fruit for juice and cider makers
- Contract sprayer for farms and landowners
- Local fertiliser and soil products yard
- Market gardener supplying restaurants and shops
- Local seed and grower supplies merchant
- Small freshwater trout farm
- Small oyster or mussel farm
- Small-scale turf grower and supplier
- Mobile farm machinery repairer
- Small orchid nursery for florists and garden centres
- Local farm inputs store
- Pick-your-own Christmas tree farm
- Mobile tractor parts van
- Tractor parts counter shop
- Farm machinery workshop
- Local feed and bedding shop
- Hydroponics shop and trade supplier
- Firewood supplier with delivery round
- Local bark and soil yard
- Topsoil yard with screening
Questions
How should I fund an agriculture business costing over £20,000?
Compare your savings, bank or specialist agricultural loans, equipment leasing and any grants you might be eligible for. Check the repayment terms against a cautious cash flow forecast, and ask whether leasing machinery or renting land could lower your upfront spend.
Do I need planning permission or licences to start a farm-based business in the UK?
It often depends on the activity and the site. Check with your local planning authority about land use and new buildings, and ask about licences or registrations for livestock, aquaculture, food handling or waste. Rules differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Should I rent or buy land for a higher-cost agriculture idea?
Renting can reduce upfront costs and let you test the business, but check the length of the tenancy, what you are allowed to build or change, and how rent could rise. Buying gives more control but ties up capital, so compare both carefully.