One farmer and consultant has described 2026 as the most difficult farming year she has experienced, charting a sequence of extremes that damaged grass growth, cut crop yields and pushed livestock out of pasture earlier than planned. Dr Liz Genever, writing on behalf of Stamford Climate Action, set out measured departures from the norm and the practical effects on animals and farm finances.
Rainfall extremes and grass growth
Dr Genever reported winter rainfall at 170% of the long-term average, leaving soils cold and waterlogged and delaying early spring growth. That was followed by a spring with under 30% of expected rainfall and a summer with only 50% of normal precipitation, during which the farm experienced five heatwaves. The prolonged dry conditions continued into autumn, with consequences for next year’s cropping, she said.
Impacts on livestock and farm income
The combination of wet winter and dry spring and summer reduced forage availability. Dr Genever said animals struggled with the heat and scarce grass, leading to the necessity of selling stock earlier than planned and a corresponding fall in income. She estimated crop yields were down by at least 30%, and reported higher winter feed bills as livestock were kept in longer during the wet winter.
“We are getting paid to reduce food production while encouraging more birds”
The farm is adapting both to wildlife-focused environmental payments and to the altered production risk posed by volatile weather and input costs. Dr Genever explained that, if successful in upcoming environmental schemes, the business intends to reduce the area under crop and create more habitat for farmland birds, while cutting fertiliser use on other areas.
Management changes and priorities
Actions under consideration or already being taken include repositioning the farm system to accept lower cropping intensity, prioritising habitats that support wildlife while also attempting to decrease exposure to fertiliser and fuel price volatility. Dr Genever emphasised that these shifts are intended to balance conservation outcomes with the need to remove some of the weather-related risk from the business.
- Winter rainfall 170% of normal — delayed early growth and higher winter feed use
- Spring rainfall <30% of normal and summer 50% of normal with five heatwaves — reduced forage and animal performance
- Crop yields down at least 30% and early livestock sales reduced income
Dr Genever framed the changes as a long-term rethink of the farm’s design in response to what she now assumes will be recurring weather extremes, including an expectation that El Niño conditions will continue into 2027. She also noted local wildlife gains from habitat work already undertaken: goldfinches and English partridges have returned to restored areas, illustrating a dual aim of enhancing biodiversity while stabilising the farm business.
Her account adds to growing evidence from UK farms that climate variability is reshaping decisions on grazing, forage provisioning and cropping intensity — issues directly relevant to sheep and other ruminant producers managing feed supply, flock numbers and the timing of sales.
