North Wales farmers say the ongoing drought is forcing some to feed livestock with winter fodder months early, reduce herd sizes and brace for rising costs as crops wither in the heat.
It comes after Natural Resources Wales declared drought across North Wales last month following prolonged hot, dry weather. The environmental body said river flows and reservoir levels had fallen significantly after one of the driest periods on record in Wales.
Deputy President of NFU Cymru Paul Williams said north east Wales had been among the hardest-hit areas because of the prolonged lack of rainfall.
He said: “North Wales was the first area in the UK to be officially recognised as being in drought. The north east has been particularly hard hit because of the lack of rainfall and the continual dry, hot weather.
“North east Wales is some of the most productive agricultural land in Wales, but at the current moment it is probably one of the hardest-hit areas because there is just no moisture in the soil. Nothing is growing and crops are actually going backwards.”
Mr Williams said the lack of grass growth had forced many livestock farmers to begin using winter forage nearly two months earlier than planned, raising concerns about whether enough feed will remain for the colder months.
He also revealed that one dairy farm in the Wrexham area had already been forced to reduce its herd.
“We know of a dairy farm in the Wrexham area milking around 260 cows that has already had to sell 60 of them purely because they just haven’t got the feed available,” he said.
“On top of that, because of heat stress, milk yields are down by up to 20 or 30 per cent in some cases.”
Alongside lower production, farmers are facing higher costs as they buy in feed, transport water and prepare to replace depleted forage stocks.
Mr Williams warned the impact of this summer’s conditions could eventually be felt beyond the farm gate.
“The biggest worry is the next six, 12 and 24 months,” he said.
“We are seeing 20 to 30 per cent reductions in crop yields, and that’s not just here in the UK. That will inevitably push the price of food up because production has fallen.”
Looking ahead, he said farming would need to adapt to increasingly frequent periods of extreme weather.
“We need to be able to capture surplus winter water so we can use it during dry summer months,” he said. “That means a much better planning system to allow farmers to build ponds and reservoirs. Without water, nothing can be produced.”
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The Farmers’ Union of Wales has also warned the prolonged dry spell is placing huge pressure on farms across the country.
FUW President Ian Rickman said: “The prolonged dry weather is putting huge pressure on Welsh farms, with grass growth stalling, winter fodder already being used and water supplies becoming a growing concern.
"Farmers are adapting as they always have, but Government must play its part by introducing greater flexibility into support schemes, speeding up derogations where needed and investing in long-term water resilience to help the industry cope with increasingly unpredictable weather.
“The increased risk of wildfires also highlights a growing concern about dwindling livestock numbers across Wales. Well-managed grazing livestock play a vital role in reducing vegetation that can act as fuel for fires, helping to manage our landscapes and protect rural communities.
“It’s another reminder that Government policies must support the retention of livestock across Wales, recognising their importance not only for food production, but also for delivering wider environmental benefits and building resilience in the face of a changing climate.”
Mr Williams said the recent spate of wildfires across North Wales had reinforced the need to better manage upland grazing, arguing that livestock play an important role in reducing vegetation that can fuel large fires.
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