Four in Five Farmers Say Climate Change Is Putting Their Livelihoods at Risk

A growing number of UK farmers are sounding the alarm: they’re worried they won’t be able to make a living as climate change accelerates. New research has revealed that four in five farmers now have serious concerns about the future viability of their work. Even more striking, around 75 per cent say they’ve already suffered financial losses due to extreme weather events.

The study, based on interviews with 300 farmers nationwide, was conducted by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit in collaboration with Grounded Research. It paints a stark picture of what farming in the UK looks like in the era of climate instability.

Nearly 90 per cent of the farmers surveyed said extreme weather had taken a toll on their productivity over the past few years. For most, that meant smaller harvests or fewer livestock outputs. And it’s not just a one-time hit; over three-quarters reported a tangible drop in income. One in three described themselves as “highly concerned” about their future in the industry, while another half said they were “somewhat concerned.”

When it comes to the kind of weather they’re battling, the data is equally concerning. Since 2020, 86 per cent of respondents have reported facing heavy rainfall, and nearly 80 per cent have experienced drought conditions. Only a tiny 2 per cent had managed to avoid any extreme weather in the last five years.

Looking at the national picture, the statistics are sobering. The period between October 2022 and March 2024 was officially the UK’s wettest 18-month stretch on record. Then came the spring of 2025, bringing with it some of the driest months England and Scotland had ever recorded. Against this backdrop, even supermarket chains like Aldi have stepped in, pledging to speed up payments to small fruit and vegetable suppliers to help them stay afloat.

These turbulent conditions have compelled many farmers to reassess their farming practices. According to Grounded Research, more than two-thirds of farmers have already changed their farming methods, including switching to crops better suited to the changing climate. This trend is also supported by UK Government figures, which show a steady increase in the number of farmers adjusting their practices, from 55% in late 2023 to 66% in the latest count.

No region is immune, but the West Midlands appears to be the most severely affected. Cereal and dairy farmers, in particular, are having to adapt the most.

And it's not just the current generation of worried farmers. About 40 per cent of those surveyed expressed doubts that the next generation would be able to continue farming in a financially viable way. Still, there’s a strong willingness to adapt, provided the necessary support is in place. Sixty per cent said they’d consider creating habitats like wildflower meadows, and a quarter were open to planting more trees and developing woodland.

However, when asked what would make the most significant difference, most farmers pointed to two key factors: fairer prices at the farm gate and more consistent, long-term direction from the government regarding green farming policies.

Tom Lancaster, land, food and farming analyst at the ECIU, stated: “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.

“Beyond farmers, the scale of these climate impacts also calls into question the UK’s food security in the face of climate-change-driven extreme weather. We need to be taking these risks more seriously, with more support for farming to adapt and build resilience, as well as more urgent action to help farmers reduce their own emissions.”

Experts from the Climate Change Committee have echoed these concerns. They’ve repeatedly warned that multiple UK governments have underfunded efforts to adapt critical sectors, such as agriculture, infrastructure, and healthcare, to the realities of climate change. According to their most recent assessment, more than a quarter of the nation’s climate adaptation outcomes are still falling short, the highest shortfall recorded to date.