England is facing one of its most widespread droughts in years and our corner of Lincolnshire is among the areas feeling the effects firsthand. Prolonged periods of low rainfall, combined with high temperatures are placing increasing pressure on local water supplies and creating growing challenges on families and businesses that depend on them. As an area with a strong agricultural sector relying highly on water supply, such environmental conditions pose a direct challenge to both local livelihoods and wider food resilience.
I want to make clear that farmers are at the heart of our rural community. They not only produce the food we rely on and form the backbone of our economy, but also help to shape and maintain the rural environment that we value. Without the right support, these challenges are likely to intensify, leaving the future of many local farms increasingly uncertain.
Currently half of England has been officially declared in drought and although so far we do not fall within that category, we have experienced many of the same drought-like conditions. Rainfall has been limited since late June while temperatures have reached extremes of up to 33°C, a drastic difference to the average summer temperature of around 22°C that is usually experienced in our area.
The consequences of these conditions are already being felt across the agricultural sector. Reduced rainfall and prolonged periods of extreme heat are affecting farmers’ crop growth, drying soils and placing increasing pressure on farmers to maintain yields. As one farmer described it, trying to keep crops alive has become like "watering a corpse”.
I am strongly supporting calls from the Shadow Environment Secretary, Victoria Atkins MP, for the Government to provide support for our farmers. By opening the Water Management Grant, targeted support can be provided for investment in on-farm reservoirs. Considering more flexible abstraction licenses would allow farmers to take and store water when conditions allow. Introducing temporary drought grazing derogations could ease pressure on livestock farmers who are already having to use winter forage to feed their animals. These are practical solutions to provide support to our farmers that the Government must explore.
For many farmers, the greatest concern is not simply the current dry spell but what these conditions could mean in the months and years ahead. Farmers are already having to manage increasing costs, uncertainty over whether their harvests will meet expectations and now, plan ahead for the potential consequences that such droughts bring.
National food security is also a matter for concern. When farmers struggle to produce crops, the consequences can affect food chains and prices. Supporting farmers through periods of drought is therefore not only about protecting livelihoods in rural communities but also about safeguarding the nation’s long-term food security.
Therefore, the challenges that droughts bring are not just local, they are also national. They demonstrate the importance of preparing for a changing climate and the obstacles it will bring to industries like the agricultural sector.
Farmers have shown incredible resilience during this past month, however it is important that we continue to support them during these difficult periods.
