‘We are all looking at the skies and closely monitoring the forecast’ - Shropshire farmers face ‘testing time’ as dry summer gives way to wet winter
Extreme weather swings from drought to persistent rain have left farmers fearing for another bad year in the fields.
The Met Office said this winter will be remembered for its “relentless rain”, with provisional figures showing many areas of the UK suffered very wet conditions over the season.
It follows a drier than average year last year, where farmers were struggling due to a lack of rain throughout the spring and summer.
Now county farmers say this swing from excessive dry weather to wet has created a “testing time” for the industry.
Neil Furniss, who farms near Newport, said: “This has been a testing time for some with shortages of straw and forage.
“Everyone has been affected due to the very dry spring and summer last year and then the persistent rainfall we have been experiencing this year.
“For those bringing feed and straw in, haulage is expensive especially if it is being transported greater distances.”
Neil, who is also East Shropshire NFU branch chair added: “Extremes in the weather are becoming increasingly common, so Shropshire farmers are giving serious thought to how we manage feed shortages and invest in more adaptable systems.
“We are all considering our options to better prepare for future volatility as we look to put food on people’s tables.”
Onibury farmer Rob Alderson said they are facing a critical time.
“For those of us with livestock the focus is always on animal health and welfare and we are all hoping the weather gets better and the fields dry out as it is saturated at the moment,” he said. “Lambing is under way for many including for me here in South Shropshire and where the grass has not been grazed by my sheep and cattle it is looking good.
“In terms of our wheat and other crops I am busy assessing that growth, potential risks and how much of a delay it may or may not cause.
“The winter crops went in this autumn in great conditions, but we are in a critical period over the next few weeks for growth and planting spring crops.
“We are all looking at the skies and closely monitoring the forecasts.”
Georgie Hyde, NFU environment and land use adviser, said: “Despite current conditions in the fields, Shropshire farmers are working around the clock to produce food for the nation alongside caring for the countryside.
“We are working with our network of contacts in the Environment Agency and on Internal Drainage Boards, the county’s water abstraction group and in local authorities to support our members.
“We have also just come from NFU Conference where the focus was on resilience and it has to be one of the cornerstones of the government’s long-term plan for farming and food production.
“Environment and climate resilience is a key factor in that.
“Many in Shropshire and beyond are already working towards this through carbon-foot printing and soil management, alongside other measures, but ensuring our farms have access to a secure and a fair supply of water for food production remains vital.
“We need long-term investment in water infrastructure and farms need be able to collect and store surplus water when we have too much to use at times of shortage.
“That is central to business resilience now and in the future.”
She said that Shropshire farmers and growers were also taking the chance to look at and feed-into plans within the Severn Valley Water Management Strategy, which is looking at holding back water on farmland to prevent flooding in other areas.
The consultation closes on March 11.
To take part in the consultation visit: https://severnvalleywatermanagementscheme.commonplace.is/proposals/severn-valley-water-management-strategy-public-consultation/step1
