Farmers invited to join paid research network

UK farmers are being encouraged to sign up to the Five Bar Gate Farming Research Community, a paid network designed to give farmers a stronger voice in shaping agricultural policy, innovation, and industry decisions.

The initiative, run by Grounded Research, aims to connect farmers with research projects across the supply chain, covering subjects tractor tyres and pesticide resistance to climate change and sustainability, while rewarding them for their expertise.

The community, founded by farmer’s daughter Clare Otridge, director of Grounded Research, includes both livestock and arable farmers who share insights through surveys, interviews and focus groups.

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Participants are paid for their time, typically earning £20–£50 for surveys and up to £250 for interviews or group discussions, depending on the study.

“I grew up on my family’s 500-acre farm in Cambridgeshire, so I understand how little spare time most farmers have and how much they are asked to contribute,” says Clare.

“That’s why we built Five Bar Gate, to make sure farmers are properly rewarded for their expertise. The process is quick and seamless, led by people who understand the sector.

“I want a farming perspective genuinely represented in decisions that affect farmers and that they are told about the outcomes. It’s got to be two way.”

Recent projects

Recent projects have explored biostimulants and pesticide use, sustainability in the dairy sector, biodiversity net gain, environmental baselining, tree planting and the impact of climate change on agriculture.

“Every farmer who joins helps improve the accuracy and quality of agricultural research,” Clare adds.

“By building a verified community, we’re ensuring policymakers and industry leaders can act on evidence that genuinely represents British farming.

“Hopefully this will mean that decisions can be made with the right information… something that we see to be a real issue in this sector.”

Membership is free and open to all active UK farmers.

Once signed up, members receive invitations to take part in relevant research projects, with no obligation to participate.

The Five Bar Gate community, established by Grounded Research, includes more than 1,500 verified farmers and continues to add over 100 members each month.

Interested parties can find more information and sign up via the website.