Farmers Guide

Farmers Guide is a UK agricultural media and publishing brand serving farmers, agricultural contractors, farm decision-makers and suppliers. The business began in September 1979 as The East Anglian Farmers Guide, a free publication distributed directly to farmers in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. It was founded by Doug Potts and was designed to combine practical agricultural information, regional and national farming news, political commentary and advertising in an A4 magazine format. The publication emerged at a time when agricultural coverage was often delivered through newspaper supplements, trade newspapers or county-level farming publications. Farmers Guide differentiated itself through its direct distribution model and its free classified advertising for machinery and other goods being sold from farms. This approach connected agricultural buyers and sellers while giving advertisers access to a concentrated farming readership in eastern England. The region was particularly important to British agriculture, with substantial areas devoted to arable production and major shares of national wheat, potato, pea and sugar-beet output. The magazine expanded beyond its original four-county territory and became a national UK publication. It remains primarily funded through advertising and is distributed free to qualifying UK agricultural readers, including farmers, contractors, suppliers and other decision-makers. Readers who do not meet the free-distribution criteria, including some international recipients, can obtain the magazine by paying postage. The business also maintains a digital presence through its website, online magazine content, social media and video publishing. FarmAds is one of the brand's central offerings. The classified service enables agricultural readers to advertise used machinery and other farm-related goods without charge, reinforcing Farmers Guide's role as both an editorial publication and a marketplace. Its editorial scope covers arable farming, livestock, agricultural machinery, general farming interests and political or industry issues. Farmers Guide has remained family-run. The business is described as being managed by Julie Goulding and her son, Greg Goulding, following the founding generation. It has also participated in the agricultural events ecosystem, including the Power in Action machinery event associated with the Suffolk Farm Machinery Club. After the event's former Otley venue could no longer be used, Farmers Guide became a joint organiser and helped support the event's continuation at a new Suffolk location. The brand marked its 500th issue in April 2021. Around that period, its print circulation was reported at more than 30,000 copies, while its online edition reached a substantially larger readership. In 2021 it broadened its digital proposition with FarmHub, a directory intended to help farmers find relevant agricultural businesses and services. Farmers Guide therefore operates across several connected formats: monthly print publishing, online editorial content, free agricultural classifieds, directories, social media and event involvement. Its core positioning is practical, accessible and commercially useful agricultural information delivered free to the UK farming community.

Farmers Guide was founded by Doug Potts in 1979 and first appeared in September of that year under the title The East Anglian Farmers Guide. Its initial territory covered Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, an important arable-farming region with significant production of wheat, potatoes, vining peas, sugar beet, field beans and dried peas. The publication was created to provide local farmers with a combination of agricultural news, practical information, political comment and advertising. Its format and distribution model helped distinguish it from established farming coverage. Rural newspapers commonly published weekly farming supplements, while other agricultural titles were associated with newspaper groups or focused on particular sectors such as livestock. Farmers Guide instead used an A4 magazine format for a local farming audience and offered free advertising for equipment and goods being sold from farms. The classified service became an important part of the publication's appeal. As readership and advertiser interest grew, the magazine moved beyond its original East Anglian base and developed into a national UK publication. It continued to be distributed free and directly to qualifying farmers, contractors, suppliers and agricultural decision-makers. Its commercial model has primarily relied on advertising. Readers outside the normal free-distribution criteria, including international readers, can receive copies by paying postage. The business remained family-owned and family-run. Later management included Doug Potts's daughter Julie Goulding and grandson Greg Goulding. Over time, Farmers Guide expanded its editorial mix to cover arable and livestock farming, machinery, general agricultural topics, industry news and political issues. FarmAds remained a prominent service, allowing agricultural users to place free classified advertisements for used machinery and other goods. The brand also became involved in the Power in Action agricultural machinery event organised with the Suffolk Farm Machinery Club. Otley had hosted the event until 2005, when changes affecting the host site's farming policy ended its use. Farmers Guide then became a joint organiser with the club, helping identify a new venue and support the event's continuation. The 2007 edition took place at Melford Park Farm in Alpheton, Suffolk. In the digital era, Farmers Guide developed online magazine access, website publishing, social media activity and video content while retaining its print edition. Reference material describes a print run of more than 30,000 copies and a significant online readership. The magazine reached its 500th issue in April 2021. That year, the company also launched FarmHub, a directory for agricultural businesses and services. The brand consequently evolved from a regional free farming magazine into a broader agricultural media and marketplace platform while retaining its original focus on accessible information and useful connections for the farming community.

• 2021

  The publication reaches its 500th issue

  [1]Farmers Guideen.wikipedia.org

  Farmers Guide celebrates its 500th issue in April while continuing its print and digital operations.

• 2021

  FarmHub is launched

  [1]Farmers Guideen.wikipedia.org

  The brand adds a digital agricultural business directory to its publishing and classified-services portfolio.

• 2007

  Power in Action moves to Melford Park Farm

  [1]Farmers Guideen.wikipedia.org

  Farmers Guide jointly organises the event with the Suffolk Farm Machinery Club at a new site in Alpheton, Suffolk.

• 2005

  The Otley venue hosts its final Power in Action event

  [1]Farmers Guideen.wikipedia.org

  The annual machinery event's established Otley site is no longer available after changes in farming policy affecting its hosts.

• 1979

  The East Anglian Farmers Guide is launched

  [1]Farmers Guideen.wikipedia.org

  Doug Potts launches the publication in September as a free direct-mail magazine for farmers in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.

A free, practical and commercially connected agricultural media platform for UK farmers, contractors, suppliers and farm decision-makers, combining editorial coverage with classified advertising and digital services.

• Agricultural magazine · 1979

  Farmers Guide

  The core monthly publication covers arable and livestock farming, agricultural machinery, general farming interests, industry developments, political commentary and advertising. It began as a regional East Anglian title and later expanded to national UK distribution. The magazine is generally mailed free to qualifying agricultural readers and is supported primarily by advertising.

• Agricultural classifieds

  FarmAds

  FarmAds is the publication's classified advertising service. It allows farmers and other agricultural readers to advertise used machinery, equipment and other goods without charge. The service supports the brand's role as a practical marketplace connecting sellers with farming customers.

• Agricultural business directory · 2021

  FarmHub

  FarmHub is a directory launched to help farmers discover agricultural businesses and services. It extends Farmers Guide's digital offering beyond editorial content and classifieds into structured business discovery.

• 2007Power in Action relocation and continuation

  United Kingdom

  Farmers Guide became a joint organiser with the Suffolk Farm Machinery Club after the long-used Otley venue could no longer host the machinery event. The partnership helped establish a new location at Melford Park Farm, Alpheton, Suffolk.

  Outcome. Power in Action continued at a new Suffolk venue, entering a new phase after the loss of its original site.

  Source

• 2021

  Launch of FarmHubProduct launch

  Background

  Farmers Guide had developed a broader digital presence alongside its established print magazine and classified service.

  Action taken

  The company introduced FarmHub, a directory focused on agricultural businesses and services.

  Aftermath

  FarmHub expanded the brand's online proposition beyond magazine reading and classified advertising.

  Source

• 2007

  Joint organisation of Power in Action at a new venueStrategy

  Background

  The event's former Otley location was no longer available after 2005.

  Action taken

  Farmers Guide joined the Suffolk Farm Machinery Club as an organiser and supported the move to Melford Park Farm.

  Aftermath

  The machinery event continued at Alpheton, Suffolk, rather than ending with the loss of its former venue.

  Source

1. 1Farmers Guideen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Farmers Guide official websitefarmersguide.co.uk