Farming in the climate crisis: Real-life insights from farmers on the frontline

As the UK’s Climate Change Committee publishes its most recent assessment of the progress made to reduce emissions, four farmers shared insights of just how challenging it can be to cope with climate change in everyday life.

Sheep farmer Ceri Squire from South Wales has taken to religiously monitoring the weather to try and keep on top of the rapidly changing patterns.

Although tupping commenced on the farm late last year which delayed lambing to the end of April, this has coincided with the arrival of cool dry weather following a wet spring.

‘Our accidental mistiming meant a successful lambing,’ she remarks.

The ewes and lambs are now doing well on the early summer grass, which she says is the richest source of dry matter, proteins and sugars.

However, the recent heatwave and increasing humidity has meant a far higher risk of fly strike than normal for the time of year. After losing a lamb to the condition, they have treated the entire flock on the farm with a preventative spray to protect the animals until shearing in mid-July.

A long-lasting spray treatment will then follow providing protection for a further 19 weeks to defend against the lengthening flystrike season, which Ceri says lasted well into November last year.

Liver fluke has also been problematic on the farm, as the dry weather last year delayed the emergence of first stage fluke on pastures until September, which meant sheep weren’t displaying symptoms of infection until January/February this year. As a result, a few sheep were lost on the farm to fluke.

‘Normally we would routinely treat the flock for fluke in November, but it would have been a wasted treatment last year as the fluke were too young to be killed off by the drench we used,’ she explains.

‘So now we’ve decided to do routine faecal egg counts ten days after any major rain. Fingers crossed we will catch the fluke at the right time, thus saving our animals as well as saving money on unnecessary treatments.’

To prepare for upcoming droughts, Ceri and her partner will be looking to collect rainwater on the farm. ‘We need to prepare for the prospect of our farm springs drying up – a life-threatening scenario as these are our only source of water,’ she says.

There are currently two large barrels on the farmyard collecting rainwater, which the couple is looking to expand with a system of collecting water off the roofs of the barns. Stored in suitable containers, this water could become invaluable if the hot and dry summers are to continue, Ceri remarks.

To defend against erratic weather, Somerset pig and arable farmer Patrick Twigger has been spreading composted garden waste on his field for over 18 years, which he says has been an effective strategy for preserving moisture in the ground.

‘It’s had a definite benefit as the fields in question are easier to cultivate, do not slump in the winter, and stay green longer in the summer,’ he adds.

Blackgrass control a major challenge

One of the biggest hurdles presented by climate change for Essex arable farmer Robert Graham is blackgrass.

‘Normally we would control blackgrass by removing it before we sow our crops. But current weather patterns of long dry spells followed by excessive rainfall have made this approach close to impossible to achieve economically,’ he says.

The last three years have yielded disappointing harvests on the farm, as wet winters followed by dry springs have led to a high proportion of spring-sown crops performing below average. To keep the business afloat, Robert has diversified into hosting weddings on the farm which has been successful so far, nonetheless he is concerned for the future.

On the blackgrass front, the dry September last year had prevented effective control of weed seeds in the soil as the weather was not conducive to using herbicides. While some areas were still reserved for spring sowing, this was hampered by heavy rainfall in March and April.

‘The consequence of all this is that we have the prospect of a (hopefully) better harvest in terms of crop yield because of the higher proportion of autumn-sown crops. But the prospect for the late sown spring crops is poor and will reduce the average yield again.’

Looking ahead, next year is promising to be difficult due to the large amount of blackgrass seed that will be shed this year, and many fields will not be suitable for autumn sowing as a result.

To maintain production on the farm’s heavy clay soils, Robert says investing in drainage is essential going forward.

‘A well structured soil acts like a sponge, absorbing the rain as it falls and making it available to crop roots. Air spaces are also maintained within the soil, allowing plants to take up oxygen which is vital for growth,’ he explains.

On the other hand, if the soils are poorly drained, there is a risk of water runoff following heavy rain, resulting in the loss of vital nutrients. Government support for installing drainage was withdrawn in the early 1980s due to environmental activism, but funding would help many farmers continue food production against the odds of climate change, Robert concludes.

Embracing change

Dairy farmer Gwyndaf Thomas from Carmarthenshire in Wales is also feeling the effects of the climate crisis and has taken steps to adapt the business accordingly.

For example, a very wet spring has meant that turnout time for livestock had to be reduced to prevent the cows from causing too much damage to the soil. Silage stocks have also been effected by last year’s dry weather, which drove input costs up as the farm had to purchase additional forage right up until the end of April.

‘We’ve then had a rapid change from wet to dry,’ he recalls. ‘Not hot, just a cool north westerly breeze that dried everything out and kept grass growth rates below average.  The worst of both worlds you could say.’

Due to warmer-than-average temperatures, second-cut silage was harvested sooner than usual this season, as the grass already began producing seed in early June due to stressful growing conditions. This typically results in a very light cut of silage with a lower nutritional value for dairy cows.

‘To make good silage, you want leafy grass that’s full of sugars that help it ferment into sweet silage that cows love to eat when they’re housed. It’s a different story with steamy grass that hasn’t fermented well and that’s tough to ruminate on, and they produce less milk,’ he explains.

To cope with volatile weather, Gwyndaf is looking to sow a multi-species seed mix that includes herb and clover to enhance the resilience and quality of the sward.

‘Ryegrass, which we’ve previously relied on, is a brilliant grass that is very palatable for cows but it’s also nitrogen hungry, and in this day and age things have to change.’

Embracing the idea of moving forward with time, the farm has been experimenting with organic foliar sprays and biostimulants like seaweed extracts in a move away from fossil-fuel-based artificial fertilisers. Plans have also been set in motion to install solar panels on the roof of the milking parlour, which Gwyndaf hopes will produce around a third of electricity used.

Just Farmers is a not-for-profit organisation that connects voices in farming with the media to address the disconnect between food producers and the rest of society. It accomplishes this by giving farmers the confidence to share their stories through free media training, while helping those working in the press find authentic case studies to talk to.