Prolonged drought could cause shortage of some foods, farmers' union head says
The NFU said wheat and barley yields are already below average as 23 million people in England and Wales face hosepipe bans.
- The National Farmers' Union warned yesterday that England's punishing drought could trigger food shortages, with president Tom Bradshaw stating the heat and dry conditions would likely force greater reliance on imports.
- Met Office Chief Meteorologist Will Lang reported England received just 8% of average rainfall in July, extending a period of below-average precipitation that farming groups now call the 'new normal' for Britain.
- AHDB director Anthony Hopkins reported cereal yields remain below the 10-year average, warning that financial pressures are becoming "increasingly acute" for farms hardest hit by successive extreme weather and rising costs.
- Gavin Lane, president of the Country Land and Business Association, warned wheat and barley crops are at half their usual height, urging government investment: "If we want them to keep feeding the country, they need proper support."
- Around 23 million people in England and Wales face hosepipe bans as heat alerts persist, with UKHSA consultant Polly Ashmore urging vulnerable residents to stay hydrated during continued hot weather.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Long, hot, dry summer hits the UK’s crop harvests hard
The long hot, dry summer across swathes of the country is having a severe impact on farmers, who say yields of staple crops like wheat and oats have plummeted, and they're being forced into an early harvest to salvage what they can.
Farmers complain of high crop losses, even cattle feed is becoming scarce. This brings back memories of the historic 1976 drought. A turnaround could only bring permanent rain. Instead, the water levels are falling.
England and Wales experienced their driest July on record, according to the UK Met Office. "There could be food shortages if this drought continues," said the president of the NFU, Britain's main farmers' union, calling for government action. The livelihoods of wheat, barley, and oat farmers, as well as livestock breeders, are being disrupted by the effects of human-caused climate change.
The president of the FNB refers to a "situation that is very worrying".
UK Food Shortage Fears Grow as Drought Leaves Some Farmers Facing Their Last Harvest
Fears of UK food shortages are mounting after England endured its driest July on record, with some farmers warning this harvest could be their last and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) demanding urgent government action to protect domestic supplies. Farming groups say the country is experiencing its third serious drought in five years, a pattern they now call the 'new normal' for British agriculture. Much of England has gone more than a month w…
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