UK Agriculture Shows Strong Payment Performance, But Laggards Remain

The Numbers

• Companies analysed: 71
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 68.8/100
• UK average (all sectors): 50.0/100
• Agriculture average above UK average: 18.8 points
• Top score: 97.6/100 (WAYLAND FARMS LIMITED & IAN MOSEY (LIVESTOCK) LIMITED)
• Bottom score: 31.2/100 (MOLE VALLEY FARMERS LIMITED)
• Regional average high: 89.5/100 (Unknown region)
• Regional average low: 70.0/100 (Scotland)

What Stands Out

The UK agriculture sector is significantly outperforming the UK average for payment practices, suggesting a degree of financial stability or at least prioritisation of supplier relationships; however, the spread between the best and worst payers highlights considerable inconsistency. The single company in the "Unknown" region has the highest average score, but the sample size is far too small to be statistically significant.

Best Payers

1. WAYLAND FARMS LIMITED - 97.6/100
2. IAN MOSEY (LIVESTOCK) LIMITED - 97.6/100
3. CROWN CHICKEN LIMITED - 96.1/100
4. AB AGRI LIMITED - 95.8/100
5. CRANSWICK COUNTRY FOODS PLC - 94.9/100

Worst Payers

1. MOLE VALLEY FARMERS LIMITED - 31.2/100
2. 2 AGRICULTURE LIMITED - 34.6/100
3. SYNGENTA LIMITED - 36/100
4. VOLAC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED - 41.8/100
5. CHARLIES STORES LIMITED - 43.93/100

Regional Patterns

Yorkshire and The Humber demonstrate the strongest regional performance with an average PaymentCheck score of 82.9 across 10 companies, hinting at positive payment cultures within that area. London follows with a respectable average of 77.3 across 9 companies, suggesting that bigger city isn't always linked to delayed payments. Scotland scores the lowest regional average at 70.0 across six companies, though this is still above the national average, so perhaps "lowest" is too strong a word.

Don't get caught out by late payments: late payment calculator

While the average of 68.8 shows positive payment practices in UK agriculture, MOLE VALLEY FARMERS LIMITED's score of 31.2 suggests suppliers should pay close attention to payment terms and potentially factor in delays when pricing goods.

2025: The Story

Agriculture’s payment landscape saw a modest but positive shift in 2025, with the average score improving by 2.8 points to 68.8/100, though tracked across a smaller set of 71 companies (down from 84). JOHN DEERE LIMITED led the charge for improved practices, rocketing up by 15.8 points to an impressive 86.5/100, reflecting a significant uplift in how they manage supplier payments.

Conversely, declines were sharp for some. MSD ANIMAL HEALTH UK LIMITED experienced the biggest drop, falling 14.5 points to 56.8/100. A notable pattern emerged in aquaculture, where both SCOTTISH SEA FARMS LIMITED (-11.4 points to 49.3/100) and MOWI SCOTLAND LIMITED (-5.7 points to 77.5/100) saw their scores dip, suggesting a potential industry-specific challenge. While 15 companies left the data, new entrant WAYLAND FARMS LIMITED immediately impressed with a strong 97.6/100. Suppliers should remain vigilant, observing both overall sector trends and sub-sector specific developments.