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All articles about Weather

Find out how extreme weather conditions from drought to flooding affect farmers across the UK and globally. Whether it’s due to climate change or seasonal bad weather, get advice on how to plan for the effect on your farm business, how to check insurance, and to get help during forage shortages.

Advice and tips

Advice to help you protect your farm during flooding

Floods can have devastating impacts on farm businesses, affecting livestock, buildings and homes. In many instances, farmers have found themselves completely at the mercy of the elements, but there are…

BUSINESS

Business Clinic: Am I insured for snow-clearing jobs?

Farmers Weekly’s Business Clinic experts offer free advice on legal, finance, tax, insurance, farm management and land issues. Rural affairs specialist Tim Price explains what farmers need to think about…

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Archive

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Hoping for rain as spring drilling nears

In the southern hemisphere, spring has sprung. At least according to the calendar it has. But as far as rain is concerned, we are going to have to wait a…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Drought turns light eastern soils to dust

Well, it is certainly dry here in the East. Cereals on the lightest land will struggle to make any form of comeback now, even if it rains for the rest…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Dry conditions take their toll on yield prospects

I have started taking an unhealthy interest in the rain meter on my weather station. Recent rainfall is probably too little, too late and we are already adjusting remaining inputs…

Farm floods: Guide to practical and financial support

The extensive flooding in northern England, parts of Scotland, north Wales and Northern Ireland has left many farmers facing huge clean-up bills. Huge swathes of farmland remain waterlogged and unusable,…

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Case studies

NEWS

Video: How Gloucs farmers are working to prevent flooding

Farmers and landowners in Gloucestershire’s Upper Thames area are working together to manage the land to provide catchment-scale solutions to prevent future floods while making businesses resilient.  When storms Eva…

ENVIRONMENT

How farm management changed in wake of Somerset floods

It has been three years since the Somerset Levels were hit by flooding and, in that time, much has changed. Farms have had to change the way they manage their…

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Community

FARMLIFE

15 frustrating things about snow on the farm

When you're living and working in the countryside winter often means you're likely to get some amount of snow - although the British weather can never fully be relied upon.…

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Insights

WEATHER

How farmers coped in the drought of 1976

With the dry weather continuing to affect much of the country and water levels falling, comparisons have inevitably been made with the “great” drought of 1976. But how bad was…

NEWS

Why farming's being asked to do more to fight climate change

While other sectors of the economy, such as power, waste and construction, have been steadily reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the past decade, agriculture has failed to keep…

ARABLE

Arable Horizons: What climate change means for farming

Climate change and agriculture are intrinsically linked – food production is the biggest contributor to global warming and suffers the most from its effects. This was the focus of the final Arable…

Why 2015 weather data gives wheat growers hope

Last year, a mild winter struck fear into the hearts of many wheat growers as experts predicted 2015 could beat 2014 as the worst septoria year on record. Now growers…

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News

WEATHER

Gove put under pressure to secure water for food

Government action is needed to help growers obtain water for crops still to be harvested, say eastern region farmers. Defra secretary Michael Gove faced calls to ensure water for food…

WEATHER

Defra accused of 'inaction' over summer drought

Farm leaders have accused the government of taking little action since promising to help farmers suffering from the impact of the summer drought. A month has passed since environment secretary…

WEATHER

Extreme weather pushes up food prices

Food prices will rise by at least 5% due to extreme weather hitting crop yields and pushing up farm input costs, consumers are being warned. Farmers and domestic food production…

NEWS

Welsh government 'out of touch' with drought-hit farmers

The Welsh government has been accused of being “out of touch” with farmers after it announced that the Basic Payment date will not be brought forward this year. In a…

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Opinion

NEWS

Opinion: Memories of 1976 show progress has been made

I was only five at the time of last drought. I know – it’s hard to believe. No, not that I am nearing 50… rather that it has taken 42…

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Video

WEATHER

Video: Drought-hit dairy farmers determined not to sell cows

Two Anglesey dairy farmers who have been among the hardest-hit by the drought are determined to spend their way out of trouble instead of selling cattle. Business partners Johnjo Roberts…

WEATHER

Video: Farmers trade water in battle to save crops

The Environment Agency says it will fast-track applications from drought-hit growers who want to trade water with other farmers in a bid to save crops. Agency team leader Jonathan Thompson…

NEWS

Video: How Gloucs farmers are working to prevent flooding

Farmers and landowners in Gloucestershire’s Upper Thames area are working together to manage the land to provide catchment-scale solutions to prevent future floods while making businesses resilient.  When storms Eva…

Video: Forage Aid founder appeals for haulage volunteers

Forage Aid founder Andrew Ward has made a plea for more haulage volunteers to come forward to transport donations to farmers in need, with the charity now "busier than ever" as demand…

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