Norfolk farmer calling for 'more robust' drought management plan
Our crops are struggling to deal with these weltering conditions
A Norfolk farmer is calling on the Government to put in place a better drought management plan for agriculture.
Warning that our crops are struggling to deal with these weltering conditions.
Our county's had just over 200 millimetres of rain so far this year- that's 150 below the average, and 20 above 1976- the driest year on record, according to the Met Office.
"It's going to be really hard to work soils"
Andrew Francis is Farm Manager of Elvedon Estate.
He says the weather's hitting them hard:
"We have really struggled to keep up water demands of the crops- we have had to apply 65% more water during the growing season than we would normally have to do, due to the shortage of rainfall. We are now running out of water reserves with a very dry harvest in front of us and a very difficult period to establish new crops".
"We should be preparing ground ready for wheat and barely drilling in four or five weeks time. But with no rain on the horizon it's going to be really hard to work soils, they are just too dry, hard and powdery. It's just pointless drilling these crops whilst there is no moisture in the soil".
"We really need to get a lot smarter about storing water"
He says he and others may need to tweak their calendars- to adapt to these hotter temperatures:
"We have been doing it for a few years now, but we really need to intensify the work we are doing and looking at whether we can actually move some of the growing season for our crops. It may be crazy to think- but actually some of the vulnerabilities to some of our crops of drilling too early, might be lesser evils than these persistent droughts throughout the summer".
"I think the gaps in the drought management plans are particularly in the agricultural sector, there aren't really robust drought management plans for access for agriculture to water- I think it's something that really needs looking at. The whole storage issue, we really need to get a lot smarter about storing water in times of plenty- so we have got it to use in these longer drier periods that we are facing".
What has the Government had to say about this?
Water Minister Steve Double says they are monitoring the situation and will take further action if farmers are more adversely affected.