Stories

Wed, 07 Oct 2026

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 Half the harvest, twice the bills: how drought hit farms

Farmers gathered much less wheat in 2026 and dairy farmers' costs rose.
1. Drought impact: The drought has had a significant impact on farming, with crops failing, livestock struggling, and many farmers reporting losses. 2. Government support: The government has announced a package of support measures, including grant funding to construct reservoirs and irrigation infrastructure, but farmers are criticizing the slow pace of implementation and lack of help from the government. 3. Environmental grants: Farmers have been trying to adopt more nature-friendly farming practices, such as planting mixed grasses that cope better with drought and older varieties of cereals that withstand heat better. However, they have been struggling to access environmental grants, which were oversubscribed in just six hours when applications opened. 4. Costs vs revenue: Farmers are facing significant costs, including high fuel prices and rising feed costs, while milk prices have not kept pace with production costs, leading to financial struggles for many farmers. 5. Frustration and desperation: The article quotes several farmers expressing frustration and desperation at the lack of support from the government and the difficulties in accessing environmental grants. Some specific examples of farmers' struggles include:
* Tom Kimber, a Wiltshire farmer, who was unable to access an extension of an environmental scheme due to a glitch in the Defra computer system.
* Tom Collins, also from Wiltshire, who described the scramble for grants as "like Glastonbury ticket sales" and said it was "so hard to make a living from food".
* Julius Yego, a Kenyan athlete mentioned in passing, who is not directly relevant to the article but was used as an example of someone who has overcome adversity. Overall, the article highlights the challenges faced by farmers in England due to the drought and heatwave, and the difficulties they are experiencing in accessing government support and environmental grants.