Farming in the West Midlands
The West Midlands is a region of small farms, farming 74% of all the land in this region and employing 47,000 people. More than 25% of England's fruit is grown here as well as one in six of the nation's potatoes. Almost 15% of England's sheep are reared in the five counties of the West Midlands region.
From the red Hereford cattle in Herefordshire, dairy farming in Shropshire, sheep farming in Staffordshire, agriculture at its best in Warwickshire and boasting the top fruit growers in Worcestershire, farming in the counties of the West Midlands has so much to offer.
Herefordshire
Famous for the distinctive red Hereford cattle, the county's farming community is rich in its diversity.
Herefordshire is well-known for its top quality potatoes and its production of hops and apples - which produce a range of renowned beverages including cider and beer.
It boasts a wealth of spectacular scenery from the Golden Valley to the Black Mountains and at the heart of the county is the bustling city centre of Hereford, with its cathedral and its Mappa Mundi.
Shropshire
A county of contrasts with rolling farmland in the North and spectacular hills in the South, Shropshire is proud of its successful livestock industry.
From dairy to beef, sheep to poultry, the 'land of myths and legends' embraces the full spectrum of agricultural commodities.
Shropshire's fertile soil supports a strong arable sector.
Staffordshire
Boasting one of the nation's strongest sheep farming on its northern moorlands, Staffordshire courts worldwide fame as the home of the Potteries.
The heart of the county is renowned for its strong family farming community based around traditional livestock farming. Southern Staffordshire is the county's arable stronghold, producing vegetables, grain and potatoes.
Warwickshire
Arguably the nation's agricultural heartland, Warwickshire is home to the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh and its world-famous Royal Show.
Cattle in the main ring at the Royal Show, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire
Shakespeare's county is an oasis of rural England on the edge of the West Midlands conurbation and boasts a thriving tourist industry amidst thousands of acres of fertile farmland. Major commodities include arable and combinable crops, livestock, horticulture and potatoes.
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is legendary for its horticultural region of the Vale of Evesham, which boasts some of the nation's top fruit growers and market gardeners.
The county's leafy lanes are dotted with roadside farm shops and the beautiful scenery around the Malvern Hills are a magnet for tourists.
There is a greater proportion of sheep and beef producers towards Worcestershire's western border and both the dairy and arable sectors are well represented across the county.
