High land prices are deterring people from entering the industry, the report suggests
Public perceptions of farming in England must change if the industry is to attract newcomers, a report says.
The "pastoral" image of farming as low-skilled and physically demanding is outdated, the Future of Farming review said, and farms required IT-literate, entrepreneurial staff to prosper.
Other barriers, such as high land prices and a lack of succession plans for family farms, should be looked at.
Ministers said there were a "wealth of career options" in farming.
The review, external, chaired by farmer and landowner David Fursdon, makes a series of recommendations to encourage those without farming backgrounds to enter the business and to help create an "attractive career path".
'High-tech industry'
It found that high land prices, which now stand at £8,520 per hectare, were a deterrent to those seeking to buy existing businesses while the low number of retiring farmers could also "restrict opportunities".
It also raised concerns about the sale of farmland by councils, arguing that short-term tenancies were invaluable for first-timers and although sales could not be stopped, they would be a "great loss".
While the image of farming had been helped by programmes such as Countryfile and First Time Farmers, more had to be done to promote the range of opportunities available in the industry through social media and careers advice in schools.
Other proposals include:
Joint equity schemes to encourage business handovers
Incentives for landowners to release land for affordable housing
More support for farming from local enterprise partnerships
"There is a tension between the sometimes pastoral picture presented and the reality of an increasingly high-tech industry that requires IT-savvy, focused entrepreneurs, managers and staff to run it and work in it," it said.
"The traditional view of agricultural work only being low-skilled and involving hard physical is no longer apt... A key component in delivering the right image is for farming to be seen as more akin to a profession practicing a huge range of skilled tasks."
Farming minister David Heath said the government was determined to work with farmers, schools and banks to attract the "brightest and the best". "To do this, we need to break down some of misconceptions and practical barriers," he added.
