Farming Talks Climate – From National Policy to Local Action
Climate change and its impact on farm businesses
Helping to shape government policy
Earlier this year, a small group of Cluster members joined a conversation led by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC), to share their thoughts and views on climate change and its impact on farm businesses.
One of ten conversations held across England, featuring farmers from different regions and sectors, the discussions have helped inform the government's upcoming Food and Farming Decarbonisation Plan, to be published later this year, and climate planning across other government departments.
The FFCC has now published a short six-page briefing document, which summarises the key findings and recommendations from the longer report submitted to the government in August.
It has been shared with Farming Minister Stephen Morgan, senior officials at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the food and land team at the Climate Change Committee. Farmers' voices are being heard at national level.
The briefing emphasises that climate action and policies must not be siloed. Actions to decarbonise must be considered alongside the health and viability of farm businesses, food production and the environment.
“You know, we'll do what we can. A – because it's good for the environment. Also, B – it's got to be right for the bottom line.”
Mixed farmer, West Sussex
Read the FFCC Farming Talks Climate briefing:
Bringing the conversation closer to home
One recommendation that particularly echoes with the Cluster is Recommendation 5 - 'Tailor policies and schemes to regions and landscapes'.
The briefing acknowledges that there is no one size fits all when it comes to climate action. Different landscapes, soils and farming systems need different solutions and flexibility for farmers to implement what is right for their land and their businesses.
As one of the farmers who took part in the North East Cotswolds conversation noted:
“This is what good climate farming looks like here, and it's different over there.”
Arable farmer, North East Cotswolds Farmer Cluster conversation
In light of this, the Cluster Steering Group and wider team are reflecting on what we do to support our members in building climate resilience, with particular consideration for the challenges and opportunities facing farm businesses in our landscape.
Understanding our challenges
Drought, flooding and broader climate resilience are inextricable from many of the Cluster's existing priorities, including soil health, water resilience, farm business viability, land-use change and habitat enhancement.
These challenges are often interlinked, with solutions that may compete on priorities. For instance, soil health interventions may demand water, on-farm water storage can impact on flow downstream and land-use transitions require dedicated funding and planning.
In the higher wold,the principal challenge is storage rather than total rainfall. Thin soils over limestone aquifers result in high recharge and rapid seasonal discharge, leaving aquifers full by late winter but depleted by late summer.
It is crucial that we find solutions that are right for our landscape.
Exploring potential solutions
Some of the solutions that could help farm businesses include:
Reservoirs: These really depend on the local geology and soil type. Heavier soils in some parts of the Evenlode catchment may be more viable, but on limestone,lined reservoirs are cost-prohibitive and irrigation of combinable crops typically lacks financial return.
Water attenuation and Natural Flood Management (NFM): Features such as field-corner bunds slow runoff, recharge soils, and manage stream flows at a fraction of the cost while delivering multi-benefit outcomes for flood risk, soil retention, and water quality.
Rainwater harvesting: Offers immediate, high-value returns for individual farm yards (e.g., a 1,000m² roof captures ~600,000 litres annually), serving as a complementary individual measure alongside landscape-scale cluster initiatives.
Heat resilience: Exploring crop variety and management that is more suited to hotter summers, can help farm businesses adapt to a changing climate while maintaining productive farming systems.
How the Cluster can help members
We are also considering how we, as a Cluster, can support members as they make informed decisions about the future of their businesses.
This could include farm-level data collection, exploring potential new income opportunities, accessing grants and funding, delivering workshops, training and knowledge exchange. We can also look at risk assessments, insurance options and practical measures such as water storage, herbal leys and on-farm trials.
We want to support members to find solutions that are right for their individual farm businesses, while recognising the benefits of working together in our landscape.
Using local knowledge and practical experience, we can help ensure that climate resilience sits hand in hand with productive and profitable farming.
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