Britain has faced one of its toughest farming years in decades, with heat and drought causing huge damage to the country’s crops.
Extreme Weather Creates Major Farming Losses
The losses are estimated at more than £800 million, making this one of the worst harvests Britain has ever recorded. For many people working on the land, this latest blow has increased fears about whether farming in Britain can remain financially stable.
Three of Britain’s five worst harvests have happened since 2020. Many farmers now worry that the fast-changing climate is making it too risky to depend on the land for a living. Rising costs for fertilisers and other essentials have added to their stress, making survival even harder.
Britain experienced its hottest and driest spring, followed by the hottest summer on record. Large areas of soil became too dry to grow healthy crops. The five major arable crops — wheat, oats, spring barley, winter barley and oilseed rape — dropped by 20% compared with the 10-year average. In England, the harvest turned out to be the second-worst since records began in 1984.
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The trouble did not start this year. In earlier seasons, Britain’s heavy winter storms flooded and waterlogged fields. This happened in 2019–20 and again in 2023–24. Many farmers could not plant their seeds on time because the land was too muddy for machinery. These delays led to weak crops or complete failures.
Across the country, farmers say they feel trapped between two extremes — too much rain at one moment, then too much heat and dryness the next. Nearly four out of five farmers in Britain now worry about their ability to make a living as the climate becomes more unpredictable.
Rising Costs and Fears Across Britain’s Farms
Many farmers in Britain are already finding it hard to break even. The cost of running farms has increased faster than the prices paid for crops. While some people blame policy changes, evidence shows that extreme weather has been the biggest factor behind falling profits in Britain’s arable sector.
Green farming schemes once provided important financial support. These programs rewarded farmers for using climate-friendly methods that helped protect their land. But one of the key schemes was paused earlier this year. This left many farmers worried about whether help would still be available when they needed it most.
Farmers across Britain say planting crops now feels like a gamble. They used to manage occasional bad weather, but the constant cycle of storms, floods, heatwaves and droughts has made each year harder to predict. Many share stories of spending large sums on seeds and tools, only to watch their crops fail due to conditions far beyond their control.
Green farming methods are becoming more important for farms across Britain. For example, planting winter cover crops can improve soil health. Healthier soil holds more water during dry spells and drains better during heavy rain. This helps protect harvests and makes the land more resilient. Some farmers say these practices are helping them stay afloat amid Britain’s increasing weather extremes.
Record Heat in Britain, Rising Food Prices and Growing Concerns
The losses caused by poor harvests in Britain since 2020 now total more than £2 billion. Because grain prices are set globally, low harvests in Britain do not raise the prices farmers receive. This leaves them carrying the full financial burden of the damage.
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Scientists say the link between extreme weather and global warming is now easier to see. Britain’s summer of 2025 was the hottest in more than 100 years. Researchers estimate that this level of heat was made around 70 times more likely because of rising global temperatures. The heavy rainfall from Britain’s 2023–24 storms was also made more intense around 20% heavier due to the warming atmosphere.
These weather events are affecting food prices across Britain. Items that rely heavily on stable weather have risen much faster in price. Butter, beef, milk, coffee and chocolate increased by over 15% on average in just one year. Meanwhile, the overall rise for other food and drink was around 2.8%.
Poor grass growth during drought affected Britain’s dairy and beef production. Extreme heat and rainfall in West Africa pushed up cocoa prices, affecting chocolate. Coffee prices climbed due to droughts in Brazil and Vietnam. This shows how weather around the world can influence prices in British supermarkets.
Officials say they understand the challenges farmers in Britain are facing. They point to the largest-ever budget for nature-friendly farming, aimed at helping Britain’s farmers protect their land and continue producing food for the country.
