Climate change has led to increased rainfall in the UK, and farmers have borne the consequences. The winter of 2023 was among the wettest ever recorded. By the early months of 2024, the impact was obvious: soil lost its nutrients, crops were stuck in waterlogged fields, and livestock became ill due to waterborne diseases. These tough conditions forced farmers to postpone planting and harvesting. As a result, the production of common British crops — such as wheat for bread, barley for brewing, oats, and oilseed rape for vegetable oil — is expected to decrease by 21% in 2024 compared to the average from 2015 to 2023
To meet demand, food and drink manufacturers will likely turn to imports, raising costs for consumers. It’s estimated that extreme weather has already added £361 to the average UK food bill over the past two years. My work with UK farmers and growers has explored how they are adapting to these climate change impacts and how it affects their work and lifestyle. The findings are alarming. The challenges faced by farmers strike at the core of UK agriculture, often leaving them feeling powerless. Farmers have expressed concern about post-Brexit farming policies and trade agreements, especially with countries like Australia and New Zealand, which might lead to an influx of cheap imports that undercut local producers.
Market dynamics fix or reduce the prices farmers receive for their products. Additionally, attracting seasonal workers, such as fruit pickers, has become more challenging and costly now that the UK is no longer in the European Union. There are also the persistent challenges posed by climate change. According to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, male farm workers are thrice as likely to take their own lives compared to the male national average. Each week, three individuals in the UK farming industry die by suicide. To address this, the Farm Safety Foundation (FSF) runs an annual “Mind Your Head” campaign, encouraging those in agriculture to reflect on the roots of their stress, anxiety, and poor mental health.
A recent FSF poll revealed that 95% of farmers under 40 see mental health issues as one of their major challenges. This became evident during my research. Farmers are all too familiar with extreme weather — knee-deep in muddy water during harvest makes climate change undeniably real. They spoke about how unpredictable weather is making harvest times less certain, impacting the growing season of crops. A farmer in West Lancashire shared: “I feel more like a professional gambler than a farmer. What will the weather be like in spring next year, and what should I plant? Who knows!” The future of a farm and several generations of a family business hinge on steady income, but climate change-related unpredictable weather makes consistent financial returns difficult.
The farmers and growers I interviewed mentioned supermarkets’ strong hold on the agricultural sector, exerting downward pressure on the prices at which farmers sell their produce. Farmers having no control over their pricing is one of several factors hindering farm profitability and long-term planning, including addressing climate change. Greenhouse gases from agriculture account for 11% of the UK’s total emissions. Farmers pointed out that despite inflation and rising food prices, they often receive the same payment for many of their products as they did years ago. They’re frustrated that market conditions and their relationships with buyers prevent them from adding value to their products, with one saying: “Farming must be the only industry where you can’t dictate the price of your end product. I’m losing a penny a litre on milk.”
Many farmers are struggling or leaving farming altogether. Second jobs are common in farming families. Some farmers tackle these issues by collaborating with neighbors and sharing farm machinery. One farmer remarked: “You don’t go into farming to get rich … It’s a way of life.” A family decided it wasn’t wise for the son to become the farm manager. Instead, he had a well-paid engineering career and retired at 55, while his father continues to run the farm well into his 80s. My research paints the picture of a solitary farmer, trying to meet the urgent needs of their business as the escalating impacts of climate change threaten greater troubles ahead. As one farmer expressed: “There were five people here – but now there’s only me.” The tradition and future of British farming are precariously poised.