Over 80% of UK farmers say climate change is seriously threatening their ability to make a living, with extreme weather hitting productivity and profits hard, new research reveals. As FarmingUK reports, the study reveals the widespread disruption caused by increasingly severe weather, with farmers and growers bearing the brunt.

Over the past five years, 86% say they have experienced extreme rainfall, 78% have faced drought, and more than half have been hit by heatwaves.

A mere 2% reported no extreme weather impacts — a stark indicator of how pervasive the crisis has become.

Commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) and conducted by Grounded Research, the survey questioned 300 farmers across the UK.

When asked about the impact of extreme weather on their farms, 87% cited reduced productivity, 84% saw a decline in crop yields or livestock output, and three-quarters reported lower incomes.

Tom Lancaster, land, food and farming analyst at ECIU, said: “Farmers are on the front line of climate change and this research reveals what impact that is having on them and their businesses.

“From lost crops and livestock to soil erosion, farmers are battling these impacts across more fronts than most with repeated heatwaves, droughts and periods of extreme rainfall all taking a toll on farmer confidence.”

Source: FarmingUK. Read the full article here
Image: Credit Alma Karsymbek from Pixabay