Long dry spells in the spring and hot summer temperatures have meant harvest is off to the fastest start since records began.
The first report of the 2025/26 season showed multiple reports of winter barley being cut in June.
Produced with data collected by The Andersons Centre and compiled by AHDB, the report is based on a sample survey of farmers.
It is estimated that 10% of the UK winter barley was harvested by 9 July 2025, ahead of the same time last year when harvest was 7% complete and the five-year average of 6% at this point in the season.
Harvest is expected to continue progressing well in the coming fortnight, with winter barley harvesting already complete for some farms. There will now be a gap for many before winter wheat harvest starts, while some will move straight into harvesting oilseed rape, AHDB said.
The report added that straw volumes were proving a challenge so far this season, with some noticeably short crops due to prolonged warm and dry weather.
Risk of wildfires
At the same time, the NFU has warned of increased risks of wildfires on farmland and has highlighted the need for action from government, fire services and local authorities to protect lives and livelihoods.
The farming union warned hot and dry weather had created “tinderbox conditions on farms across the country” which is putting livestock and crops as well as people’s safety, their homes and those of their neighbours at risk.
“Fires can spread scarily quickly, putting both people and animals at risk and destroying valuable crops, grassland and infrastructure,” said NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos. “As farmers, we are doing what we can, but this isn’t an issue we can tackle alone.
“It’s vital that government, fire services and local authorities work with us on prevention, education and response, and for everyone enjoying the countryside this summer to be fire-aware so these shared spaces remain safe for all.”
There have been a number of fires on farms across the country only this week, as well as several reported in London, and there are concerns more will occur as combines roll to gather this year’s harvest.
New adapter for fire engines
In some counties such as Lincolnshire and Norfolk, fire engines have been equipped with a new adapter – developed by a Lincolnshire farmer – which enables them to access water stored on farms when their own on-board supplies have been exhausted. But in most other counties across the country, fire engine fittings are still not compatible with rural water storage systems, making a farm fire outbreak harder to manage, the NFU warned.
“It was awful to get the call from a neighbour that our poultry manure heap was on fire, which is surrounded by thousands of acres of wheat – both our own and neighbouring farmers’,” said Lincolnshire arable farmer Rhonda Tompson, a part of whose farm went up in flames last weekend.
“I dread to think how bad it would’ve been if the firefighters didn’t have access to our on-farm water stores and neighbours’ water bowsers and tankers. Sadly, that’s the situation facing most farms across the country without this adapter.”
The NFU has called for the wider adoption of these adapters to minimise the impact of farm fires on livelihoods.
“They aren’t expensive, yet the cost of a farm fire can be devastating,” said Hallos. “There are solutions out there, and what we’re asking for today will help tackle some of the key causes and risks of wildfires.”
Read more: Drought extended into more counties as dry weather set to continue
This comes as drought was extended to further counties in the UK and hosepipe bans were put in place by Thames Water and Southern Water in an attempt to conserve supplies.
The Met Office also reported this week that the UK has warmed at a rate of approximately 0.25°C per decade since the 1980s, with the most recent decade (2015 to 2024) 1.24°C warmer than 1961 to 1990.
“Every year that goes by is another upward step on the warming trajectory our climate is on,” said Met Office climate scientist and lead author of the State of the UK Climate report Mike Kendon. “Observations show that our climate in the UK is now notably different to what it was just a few decades ago.
“We are now seeing records being broken very frequently as we see temperature and rainfall extremes being the most affected by our changing climate.”
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