Half the harvest, twice the bills: how drought hit farms
Summary
A long drought in the UK’s West Country led to the worst wheat harvest ever, cutting yields by up to half on some farms. Dairy farmers faced high costs feeding cows during dry conditions, although milk production only fell slightly.Key Facts
- The 2026 summer was the hottest on record with no rain during key growing months of June and July.
- Charles Day’s wheat harvest in Gloucestershire was reduced by about 50% due to drought.
- UK-wide cereal harvest was the lowest ever, with wheat down by around 11% or 3 million tonnes.
- Farmers in the South West faced even worse losses: some crops like spring barley and beans were down more than 50%.
- Dairy milk production dropped just 4.5% because farmers had to feed cows no matter the weather.
- Sarah Godwin’s family dairy farm spent over £100,000 extra on feed and £15,000 on cooling equipment for cows.
- The drought caused more animal health problems like lameness, low fertility, and mastitis.
- Higher costs and lower harvests are causing serious financial pressure on farmers.
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