Prime Minister Andy Burnham, along with Farming Minister Stephen Morgan, announced a package of support to help farmers manage the impacts of sustained hot weather and dry conditions this summer.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister chaired the Government’s emergency response committee (COBR) on extreme heat, wildfires and drought.
The measures announced after the meeting were:
- Temporary adjustments to Environmental Land Management (ELM) agreements, so farmers affected by drought can continue to receive payments and take practical steps to protect livestock.
- An extra £50 million for Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 Window 2, taking the total budget for SFI26 to £290 million to help more farmers access support. Increased SFI uptake will aim to help farmers to adapt to the risk of future droughts.
- Action to make it easier to build reservoirs, including reducing unnecessary barriers and updating planning guidance.
- Funding up to £15 million to build on-farm reservoirs, helping farmers store water and become more resilient to future droughts.
- Improved access to water during drought conditions, including that the Environment Agency will prioritise requests for short-term variations to abstraction licence conditions.
The increase of £50 million in SFI26 funding will take the total SFI26 budget to £290 million for new agreements. According to Government, the additional funding will help more farmers access a reliable income stream at a time when many are facing lower yields and rising costs, and will help more farmers sustainably manage soils, livestock, nutrients, fertiliser use and farm wildlife alongside food production.
Adjustments to ELM revenue agreements will also see restrictions removed so farmers can cut and graze land in an ELM agreement, in order to ease shortages of grazing, fodder, forage crops and bedding. It will also allow farmers to create firebreaks on land in an agreement to protect animals and crops from wildfires.
NFU welcomes announcement
National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Tom Bradshaw said: “Providing this relief package and meeting with farmers to hear first-hand from them, it’s clear that the Prime Minister has recognised the serious impacts this drought is having on farmers and on our ability to water crops, feed livestock and keep food production on track. It signals that investment in farming’s resilience is an investment in the country’s resilience.
“We’ve all seen the brown, bleak fields, but the impacts on food production, and therefore on the 29 million households which all rely on three meals a day, goes much deeper.
“The £65 million of investment into the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and water infrastructure is very important strategic support that will benefit farmers. However, we are experiencing a huge crisis of cashflow and confidence across all sectors and urgent support will be needed for farmers who are feeling that pressure now, so they are still producing food next year.”
“We must ensure the process is streamlined and that grants are accessible.”
Tom Bradshaw, NFU
Bradshaw continued: “This Government has said food security is national security, a sentiment the Prime Minister has echoed. Securing access to water for food production is vital to this, and so is building resilience across our entire food system.
“Today’s announcement is welcome and includes many of the NFU’s strategic asks, but more detail is needed to understand how these will work in practice. Investment in water is critical, it is the lifeline of our food system, and we must ensure the process is streamlined and that grants are accessible.
“As we look forward, I hope we can build on the important steps taken today and work towards a resilient food system that delivers for farm businesses, families and communities, both now and for generations to come.”
NFU vice-president Robyn Munt stated: “The derogations on SFI requirements will provide much-needed flexibility for farmers in existing schemes; particularly those struggling to provide forage for their livestock and who want to protect their farm against wildfires.
“Investment in the SFI scheme is crucial – supporting on farm practices, such as improving soil health, is what will underpin business resilience against the climate pressures we see today. We will continue to work with Defra to ensure this scheme delivers for both farm businesses and farmers’ ambitions for the environment that supports them.”
