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The Independent
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Farmers' harvest in limbo after UK endures driest spring in nearly 70 years
British farmers are bracing for potentially disastrous harvests following the hottest spring on record, compounded by the driest conditions seen in decades, new analysis reveals. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) warns that climate change is already having a "devastating" impact on farmers, food security and shopping bills, and that recent weather extremes will negatively impact the upcoming harvest. The warning comes as concerns mount that the Government will cut funding for sustainable farming in the upcoming spending review. Farmers and environmentalists warn that such cuts would undermine efforts to restore nature, build resilience to climate shocks, and support rural communities. Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said this year's arable harvest was "on a knife edge" and stressed the need for funding to build resilience. Experts say that nature-friendly farming measures, such as promoting healthy soils and boosting natural predators of crop pests, can significantly enhance agriculture 's resilience to climate extremes. Mr Lines, who farms in Cambridgeshire, said: 'Months of dry weather have left my crops stressed, with their yield potential now capped even if we get a good bit of rain. 'This is what farming in a changing climate looks like.' And he said: 'It's wreaking havoc with my ability to plan and many farmers are now facing yet more financial losses this harvest, just as support for nature-friendly farming is being called into question. 'Nature-friendly farming is the backbone of rural resilience. Cutting funding now won't save money; it will cost us all in the long run,' he warned. The UK has experienced its hottest spring in records dating back to the 19th century, and its driest in more than 50 years with rainfall at just 40 per cent of average levels. England suffered the driest three months from March to May in more than 100 years, Met Office figures show. The north-west of England is already in drought, and the Environment Agency has warned of the risk of more widespread drought without sustained rainfall. Analysis from ECIU estimates the production of the main arable crops – wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape – could once again be near all-time lows, following the third-worst harvest on record last year after the extreme rainfall in winter 2023/2024. The assessment draws on the most recent crop development survey from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which identified a major decline in crop conditions due to the dry spring, reducing yield potential despite recent rainfall. It looks at three scenarios, reflecting what might happen with rainfall in the coming weeks. If crop condition is maintained at current levels, yields would be in line with last year, leading to a worse harvest than 2024, due to fewer acres of oilseed rape and spring barley planted outweighing an increase in wheat, and making 2025 the second-worst harvest in records dating back to the 1980s. If rain helps crop conditions improve and yields recover to the 10-year average, the UK harvest would be the seventh-worst on record, the ECIU estimates. And if crop condition continues to decline and yields are equivalent to 2020 – the worst harvest so far since the detailed records began in 1984 – this year could become the worst harvest on record. Tom Lancaster, land, food and farming analyst at ECIU, said: 'Climate change is already having a devastating impact on UK farming and our collective food security, pushing up shopping bills and leaving many farmers at the end of their tether. 'Although it's too early to tell what the true impact will be of this record-breaking dry spring, we know enough to conclude that it will have had a negative impact.' He said scientists were clear warmer springs were a feature of climate change, making the impact of a dry spring more severe, while extreme wet winters were also being fuelled by rising global temperatures. Many crops were hit by extreme rainfall in England last September and October, just as winter crops should have been drilled, delaying them to the spring and making them more vulnerable to the recent dry, warm weather. 'In this volatile context, the outcome of the spending review next week will be a crucial moment for farming in this country, and whether the Government realises what's at stake for UK farming and food security in a rapidly changing climate,' Mr Lancaster said.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Hedges capture more carbon than grassland
Hedgerows increase soil carbon storage by almost half compared to grassland, according to research from the University of Leeds. The team of scientists analysed soil samples from farms in Yorkshire, Cumbria and West Sussex, to find out how carbon storage under hedgerows compared to that found in adjacent grass fields. The research found that soil under hedges stored on average 40 tonnes more carbon per hectare than grassland. Dr Sofia Biffi, a research fellow in agricultural ecosystems, said the results showed hedgerows could have a positive impact on soil health and soil carbon storage. "In the past few years, we have witnessed how farmers are engaging with hedge planting. They can see the difference that hedges make to the biodiversity on their farms," she said. "They see more birds, bats and pollinators, and they enjoy their flowers, wood and shade. And now they can also know they are playing their part in storing more carbon in the soil." The results were published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. Dairy farmer and England chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, James Robinson, said it was "good to have the science to back up what we farmers already know". He said: "There is an ever-growing list of reasons to plant and manage hedgerows, from livestock health, crop protection and biosecurity, through to carbon storage. "Hedgerows should be seen as a huge asset both to farmers and the landscape and if we manage them in the right way, using traditional hedge laying techniques, we can make them an eternal feature of our rural landscape." The team compromised researchers from the University of Leeds School of Geography and the University of Sheffield's School of Biosciences. They said the data could be used to predict the impact of planting new hedgerows on the UK's net zero targets. About half of Britain's hedgerows were lost between the 1940s and 1990s, mostly in England, due to intensive farming and development. According to the Woodland Trust, around 118,000 miles of hedgerows disappeared in that time. While the loss has slowed since the 1990s, neglect, damage and removal remain big threats. Study co-author professor Pippa Chapman said existing hedgerows needed to be maintained to ensure the carbon stored in the soil does not disappear into the atmosphere. She said: "We have seen some important hedgerow planting commitments from the government, which we hope they will support farmers to achieve in the next few years. "It is not only hedgerow planting that brings so many benefits to farmland but also maintaining the network of hedges and hedgerow trees that we already have. "Planting, gapping-up, and hedge laying are all important actions that farmers can take to help protect the carbon stored in soil beneath hedges and the environment." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. England's hedges would go around Earth ten times More than five miles of hedgerows planted Protecting hedges boosts bat numbers Farmers urged to limit hedge cutting to aid nature University of Leeds
BBC News
09-02-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Hedges capture more carbon than grassland - University of Leeds study
Hedgerows increase soil carbon storage by almost half compared to grassland, according to research from the University of team of scientists analysed soil samples from farms in Yorkshire, Cumbria and West Sussex, to find out how carbon storage under hedgerows compared to that found in adjacent grass research found that soil under hedges stored on average 40 tonnes more carbon per hectare than Sofia Biffi, a research fellow in agricultural ecosystems, said the results showed hedgerows could have a positive impact on soil health and soil carbon storage. "In the past few years, we have witnessed how farmers are engaging with hedge planting. They can see the difference that hedges make to the biodiversity on their farms," she said."They see more birds, bats and pollinators, and they enjoy their flowers, wood and shade. And now they can also know they are playing their part in storing more carbon in the soil."The results were published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & farmer and England chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, James Robinson, said it was "good to have the science to back up what we farmers already know".He said: "There is an ever-growing list of reasons to plant and manage hedgerows, from livestock health, crop protection and biosecurity, through to carbon storage."Hedgerows should be seen as a huge asset both to farmers and the landscape and if we manage them in the right way, using traditional hedge laying techniques, we can make them an eternal feature of our rural landscape."The team compromised researchers from the University of Leeds School of Geography and the University of Sheffield's School of Biosciences. They said the data could be used to predict the impact of planting new hedgerows on the UK's net zero half of Britain's hedgerows were lost between the 1940s and 1990s, mostly in England, due to intensive farming and to the Woodland Trust, around 118,000 miles of hedgerows disappeared in that the loss has slowed since the 1990s, neglect, damage and removal remain big co-author professor Pippa Chapman said existing hedgerows needed to be maintained to ensure the carbon stored in the soil does not disappear into the atmosphere. She said: "We have seen some important hedgerow planting commitments from the government, which we hope they will support farmers to achieve in the next few years. "It is not only hedgerow planting that brings so many benefits to farmland but also maintaining the network of hedges and hedgerow trees that we already have."Planting, gapping-up, and hedge laying are all important actions that farmers can take to help protect the carbon stored in soil beneath hedges and the environment."Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
The Guardian
31-01-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Farmland in England to be reduced by more than 10% under government plans
Farmland in England will be reduced by more than 10% by 2050 under government plans, with less meat produced and eaten by the country's citizens. The environment secretary, Steve Reed, on Friday launched the government's blueprint for land use change to balance the need to build infrastructure and meet nature and carbon targets. Grassland, used to rear livestock, faces the largest reduction under government plans. This means, Reed said, people will also be encouraged to eat less meat. Reed explained: 'I'll speak to consumers about the choices that they're taking there. We know we need to develop a food strategy. If we can give parents better information to make better informed choices, they will do that. I'm sure that there will be no mandate from government about that, but I'm sure those informed choices will then affect what farmers grow, and producers and manufacturers provide, to meet the demands as that changes.' He added that farmland that is currently flooded most years should not be used for growing food and could potentially be put to better use if it was restored for nature. Reed said: 'Into the future it is probably not a good idea to keep growing crops in fields like that, because your investment will get destroyed. But what a great location, perhaps, to plant more vegetation, more trees, to help reduce flooding in a nearby urban area.' Reed added that while the government is 'not going to tell farmers what to do', 'levers and incentives' will be used to ensure land is used in the most efficient way. Government officials have produced maps of England showing where there is the most potential for different types of nature restoration, and where it is best to farm. Farmland will be used more intensively under the guidelines, producing more food in less space. Some areas have been highlighted that need to be protected, such as rare peatland and places with high potential for woodland to be grown. Some arable land will be lost under the plans, as large areas next to rivers will have to be kept free for the government to meet its river cleanliness targets, for example with trees planted to soak up nutrient pollution in the waters. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Martin Lines, the chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said: 'For too long, land use has been viewed in narrow or binary terms, often pitting food production against nature, or farming against biodiversity restoration. We must acknowledge that most of our land can deliver on multiple fronts – safeguarding food production, mitigating climate change and protecting nature. The focus must be on maximising the benefits land can provide by embracing its multifunctionality, rather than limiting it to single uses.' The National Farmers' Union warned that the framework should not hinder farmers in producing food. Tom Bradshaw, the union's president, said: 'Over the past 18 months, the UK farming industry has taken a battering. Volatile input costs, commodity prices on the floor in some sectors, a reduction in direct payments, one of the wettest periods in decades, and a brutal budget delivered by this government. All have left their mark and have put homegrown food production under serious pressure. It's imperative this framework does not further restrict farmers' ability to produce the nation's food.' In recent weeks, environmental groups have been concerned that the government is pitting growth against the climate and the net zero by 2050 target. But Reed made a full-throated defence of nature's role in the economy and said it has to be a thread running through the government's decisions. He said: 'This is a government that is absolutely committed to protecting and restoring nature. It runs through all of the plan for change, the government's plans, and it is present in all of in all of the missions, it's in all the speeches. We are working on common-sense changes that create a win-win for nature and the economy, and the land use framework is a significant part of that.'
