There is a 65% increase in productivity on land where collaboration exists, a study of 20 farms using the Land Mobility Service shows.

Taking out the impact of increased scale, a 41% increase in productivity was recorded. The study measured land area, stocking rate, farm production, labour and long-term plans.

The farmers surveyed projected a further increase in production through to 2020.

Some 80% of arrangements involved a trained farmer under 40 and on average two people were employed on the farm, while three people were getting an income per farm.

The average increase in stock numbers on dairy farms since entering collaboration was 54 animals. The average total farm yield of those in the study was 651,417 litres in 2016, increasing to almost 730,500 in 2017 and over 500,000 thereafter.

The farmers surveyed said that a focus on sustainability and ensuring that all deals are fair for both parties was crucial to the success of collaboration.