Drought-hit farmers are being offered repayment holidays, temporary lending and increased overdrafts as prolonged dry weather puts growing pressure on farm cashflow. Lloyds and Bank of Scotland say specialist agriculture managers are working with customers to address short-term pressures. Options include working capital facilities, overdraft support, interest rate reductions... Read more
The government must make it easier for farmers to build reservoirs and help secure the UK’s food supply, say industry leaders. The warning follows a £65m drought aid package – including £15m to build on-farm reservoirs. The funding was announced last month by Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Defra... Read more
Drilling cereal crops into parched soil this autumn is likely to be a tricky proposition. Cover crops have gone from niche to more mainstream on UK farms in the last ten years, driven by a greater emphasis on soil health and the Sustainable Farming Initiative. But autumn establishment will... Read more
Growers returning to oilseed rape this year are reminded to prioritise good establishment or risk storing up problems for following wheat crops. Prices approaching £500/t and two decent seasons for rape are expected to see another increase in new-season plantings. Even a modest rise would take the national crop... Read more
Drought-hit growers waiting for moisture before drilling oilseed rape still have time to get a crop in the ground, says a leading seed breeder. This year’s exceptionally early harvest left many growers ready to drill – but hot, dry weather has depleted soil moisture. Delaying until conditions improve could... Read more
Oat growers are being asked to provide more detailed environmental data as processors and brands seek to strengthen supply chains following a run of weather-hit harvests. Grain trader Robin Appel Ltd has partnered with Soil Association Exchange to measure 15 supplying farms against 40 metrics. The initiative reflects growing... Read more
Farmers could use the gap created by an early harvest to identify loss-making land before committing seed and inputs to another cropping season. Yield maps can reveal areas that repeatedly fail to cover costs. Analysing several seasons together can indicate whether margins could be improved by tweaking crop management,... Read more
Disease tolerance cuts barley risk
Arable 27/08/2026
Genetic tolerance to barley yellow dwarf virus could become a standard feature of UK winter barley to protect yields while reducing reliance on insecticides. Strong results for new two-row winter barley LG Catapult suggest BYDV tolerance can be delivered without sacrificing yield. The trait could become increasingly important as... Read more
Harvest latest: Losses could reach £390m
Arable 27/08/2026
Britain is heading for one of its worst harvests on record after drought and repeated heatwaves cut cereal yields and potentially wiped hundreds of millions of pounds from farm revenues. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) estimates that this year’s cereals and oilseeds crop could lose up to... Read more
Farm leaders are pressing the government to underwrite interest-free crisis loans as drought, disease and rising costs leave businesses short of the cash needed to plant crops and replace livestock. The proposed Keep Britain Growing Loan would target viable businesses hit by exceptional losses. Farm organisations say urgent support... Read more
