UK farmers lose £800m after heat and drought cause one of worst harvests on record

UK farmers hit by record-breaking heatwave and drought see losses of over £800m, one of worst harvests on record. The harsh conditions left staple crops such as wheat, oats, barley, and oilseed rape with a 20% decrease in production compared to the 10-year average.

The UK's arable sector has been dealt a significant blow by the extreme weather events that have plagued the country over the past few years. Record-breaking heatwaves and droughts have left farmers struggling to make ends meet, as the costs of fertilizers and other inputs continue to rise faster than prices.

According to analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), Britain had its hottest spring on record this year, followed by the hottest summer, with widespread drought conditions. The resulting decline in crop production has left farmers facing financial losses estimated at over £800 million.

The ECIU's findings suggest that climate change is having a profound impact on British agriculture, with four-fifths of farmers now concerned about their ability to make a living due to the changing weather patterns. The organization is calling for urgent support for farmers to adapt to these climate shocks and build resilience in order to safeguard food security.

Green farming schemes, which include planting winter cover crops, are seen as vital lifelines for many farmers. These approaches can help improve soil health by boosting its organic content, allowing it to retain water better during droughts. Cover crops also enable soil to drain more effectively during wet periods, reducing the risk of flooding and crop failure.

The link between worsening extreme weather and global heating is becoming increasingly clear, with the Met Office stating that last year's summer was the hottest in over a century due to climate change. Global heating has also made severe rainfall in winter storms about 20% heavier.

The National Farmers' Union has expressed its concerns about the impact of climate change on British agriculture, calling for funding to be allocated towards climate adaptation and resilient crop varieties. The organization's chair noted that growing crops in the UK is becoming increasingly difficult due to the unpredictable weather patterns.

As a result, some food prices are rising more than four times faster than others, with butter and beef production hit particularly hard by droughts and extreme heatwaves. Cocoa and coffee prices are also increasing as a result of climate-related shocks in west Africa and Brazil, while Vietnam's droughts have pushed up coffee prices.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has promised to support British farmers in the face of a changing climate with its largest nature-friendly farming budget to date. However, many experts argue that more needs to be done to address the root causes of climate change and ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.

man this heatwave is like 1 thing, it's getting crazy how it's affecting the farmers in the UK . £800m losses is a huge amount, i feel for them. they're already struggling with rising costs and now this? it's just not fair. climate change is no joke, we need to do something about it ASAP . I saw some article where green farming schemes are being promoted as a way to help farmers adapt to these changes. planting winter cover crops makes sense, it can improve soil health and reduce the risk of flooding. we should be supporting them more with funding and stuff . its crazy how food prices are rising, especially for butter and beef. i hope they get some support from the gov.

this is like totally fishy fam ... how did the government just magically decide to give farmers a nature-friendly farming budget out of thin air? it's like they're trying to distract us from the real issue, which is that they knew about climate change and didn't do anything about it . meanwhile, farmers are struggling to make ends meet because of the extreme weather events, but the government just gives them a pat on the back and says "don't worry, we've got you covered" . but what's really going on here is that they're just trying to control the narrative and keep us in the dark about the real reason behind these climate shocks . have you ever thought about why cocoa and coffee prices are rising? it's not just because of droughts and extreme heatwaves... there's something more sinister at play

I'm seriously losing my mind over this news ! £800m loss for UK farmers is just staggering . I get it, weather conditions are extreme and all that, but can't we do something about it? I mean, what's the point of investing in nature-friendly farming if we're still not addressing climate change? It's like throwing money at symptoms rather than causes.

And don't even get me started on food prices . Buttery beef and cocoa are going up while Vietnam's droughts are causing coffee prices to skyrocket... what's the logic here? Are we just expecting farmers to absorb all these losses alone? It's not sustainable, folks! We need urgent support for our farmers, not just empty promises .

Ugh, this heatwave is just another example of how our precious forum can't even handle a simple article about climate change . I mean, have you guys seen the formatting? It's like they stuck 10 different articles together without even bothering to proofread . And don't even get me started on the lack of comments - I swear, it's like we're all just expected to sit here and nod along while the world burns .

And seriously, who comes up with these article titles? "Record-breaking heatwave and drought" sounds about as exciting as a spreadsheet, doesn't it? Where's the drama? The flair? Give me something that says "WE'RE ON THE BRINK OF CLIMATE CHAOS AND WE BETTER WORRY" .

And what's with all these experts who just spew out buzzwords like "climate change" and "resilience"? Can't they at least try to sound like regular people for once? I mean, I'm no scientist, but come on - we're not trying to win a Nobel Prize here; we just want some straightforward info about what's going on with our farmers.

I guess what I'm saying is that sometimes this forum feels more like a Wikipedia article than an actual discussion . Can't we try to have a bit more fun with it?

the uk's farmers are really struggling right now their crops are dying off left and right and it's costing them a fortune £800m is a huge amount of money, that's just insane! i feel bad for the farmers who are having to deal with this on top of everything else. climate change is making life so hard for people who are already struggling to make ends meet the government needs to do more to help them out, like investing in sustainable farming practices and providing support for those who need it most

This heatwave & drought is totally devastating for UK farmers... I mean £800m losses is massive! What's even more worrying is that four-fifths of farmers are now worried about making a living due to climate change We need to support these folks ASAP. Green farming schemes like planting winter cover crops could be the answer, but we gotta act fast

I'm worried about what's happening to UK farmers . 800 million pounds is a huge amount of losses... it's crazy to think that they're struggling so much just because of the weather. I feel bad for them, you know? They work hard to grow our food, and now they're facing this massive challenge.

I've been reading about green farming schemes, like planting winter cover crops, and it seems like a good idea . It could help improve soil health and make farming more sustainable. But we need more than just support for farmers - we need to address the root causes of climate change . It's not just about helping farmers adapt; we need to reduce our carbon footprint and protect the environment.

I think it's interesting that food prices are rising so fast . It's like, on one hand, we want to support British farmers, but on the other hand, we don't want to see food prices skyrocketing. I guess it's all about finding a balance . What do you think?

ugh what's up everyone i was just reading about this crazy heatwave in uk and i'm like literally so sad for the farmers they're losing so much money over £800m? that's wild. and it's not just them, it seems like climate change is affecting food prices everywhere too. i mean i love a good cuppa coffee as much as the next person but it's getting really expensive i wish we could all just live in a world where farmers don't have to worry about stuff going haywire all the time it sounds like there are some good ideas out there though like planting winter cover crops and growing more resilient crops. that would be so cool!

ugh i feel so bad for our british farmers they're literally getting roasted by extreme weather events & droughts its like 20% less production on staple crops & they're losing over £800m that's insane the energy and climate intelligence unit is calling for urgent support & funding to help them adapt to these changes which makes sense but what really gets me is how our food prices are rising so fast like butter & beef are getting hit hard by droughts & heatwaves & on top of that, cocoa & coffee prices are going up due to climate-related shocks in africa & brazil i think its time for us to take action & address the root causes of climate change so our farmers can thrive again

[Image of a farmer holding a bucket, with a sad expression, surrounded by parched fields ]

UK farmers are struggling, but it's not just them – we're all feeling the heat! Climate change is having a real impact on our food supply and prices. [GIF of a thermometer rising dramatically] It's time to take action and support these hardworking farmers!

£800m is a lot for one harvest, it's like they're saying goodbye to their pension plans . Farmers are already struggling, now with crops failing left and right... what's next? They need support, not just financial help but also knowledge on how to adapt .

UK farmers are really getting cooked here! 800 million pounds in losses is a huge blow and it's only gonna get worse if we don't sort out this climate crisis . I mean, it's not just the farmers, everyone's feeling the pinch with food prices rising through the roof. We need to be supporting our farmers, not just with cash but with innovative solutions like those green farming schemes . Planting winter cover crops is a no-brainer, it makes total sense to improve soil health and adapt to changing weather patterns. The Met Office is spot on saying climate change is the culprit here, let's get on board and make some changes !

Ugh I'm literally fuming over here ! The UK farmers are getting absolutely smashed by this record-breaking heatwave and drought, it's just devastating . £800 million losses? Are you kidding me?! It's not like they're asking for a handout, they're just trying to make a living off the land . And what's worse is that climate change is playing a huge role in this disaster, it's like we're all being held hostage by our own actions .

I mean, come on, can't we do better than this? We know the link between weather extremes and global heating is real, but do we really need to be constantly reminded of it?! It's not just about farmers, it's about food security for everyone. If we don't support our agricultural sector now, when will we?! The fact that some food prices are rising four times faster than others is just a symptom of a much bigger problem.

And let's be real, the government's promises to support farmers just aren't cutting it . We need more than just token funding and PR gestures, we need concrete action on climate change and sustainable farming practices. I mean, what even are these "resilient crop varieties" they're talking about?! Are they going to make a real difference?!

I swear, this is just another example of how we're failing ourselves and future generations . We need to take responsibility for our actions and start making some serious changes. This isn't just about farmers, it's about our planet and its future .

man this heatwave is killing the uk's farmers £800m losses? that's crazy! i feel bad for them, they're already struggling to make ends meet. but you know what? i think it's also a wake-up call for us all . we need to start taking climate change more seriously and supporting our farmers in sustainable ways. green farming schemes like planting winter cover crops are the way forward . and yeah, global heating is real and it's affecting everyone . gotta make some changes, not just talk about it .

ugh i feel so bad for those poor farmers in the uk they've been dealt a crushing blow from this heatwave and drought i mean £800m losses is just insane can't even imagine having to deal with that kind of stress and financial strain on top of trying to run a farm

I'm worried about our food system . Climate change is having a massive impact on agriculture in the UK, and it's not just farmers who are feeling the pinch - we're all paying more for staple foods like wheat, oats, and butter. I think the government should be doing more to support farmers, not just throwing some money at them with a bigger budget . We need to talk about long-term solutions, like investing in sustainable farming practices that can help mitigate climate change. It's time to stop talking and start acting on this issue!

UK farmers are really struggling . I mean they're already dealing with huge costs but now record-breaking heatwaves and droughts have really hit their crops, it's like a double whammy . The losses are massive, over £800m, that's a lot of money for one bad harvest .

I've been reading about this stuff and it seems like climate change is having a huge impact on British agriculture . I mean four-fifths of farmers are worried about making ends meet, which is just crazy . And the government's trying to support them with more funding, but some people think that's not enough .

It's weird, I was reading about cocoa and coffee prices going up because of climate-related stuff in west Africa and Brazil . It seems like no matter where you look, climate change is affecting food production everywhere .

omg u gotta feel 4 these UK farmers rn they're literally facing a £800m loss due 2 a record-breaking heatwave & drought. it's like, i get that climate change is real & we need 2 take action, but this is crazy! the gov's all like "we got u" w/ the biggest nature-friendly farming budget EVER, but like, what's the point if we don't tackle the root cause? we need more than just band-aids for these farmers. they're the backbone of our food supply & it's time 4 us 2 step up!

I feel so bad for those UK farmers . £800m in losses is just heartbreaking. I can only imagine how tough it must be for them, struggling to make ends meet with prices going up faster than fertilizers & other inputs. It's like they're stuck in a never-ending cycle of droughts & heatwaves . I'm all for green farming schemes though - planting winter cover crops makes total sense! Not only do they help improve soil health, but also reduce the risk of flooding during wet periods. We need to support these farmers and ensure food security . The fact that climate change is having a profound impact on British agriculture can't be ignored... we gotta take action & adapt