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£65m drought aid
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on Saturday that he was authorising £65 million of extra funding for farmers hit by a drought after the driest July on record in England and Wales.
“British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Saturday he was authorising £65 million ($88 million) of extra funding”
The government said the package follows a COBR meeting on extreme heat, wildfires and drought and is intended to help farmers manage drought pressures, protect crops and strengthen resilience for the future.
Reuters reported Burnham said, "Today we’re putting £65m more into supporting farmers through this drought and preparing for the summers ahead," as he linked the support to the driest July on record.
GOV.UK said the measures include an extra £50 million for the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 Window 2, taking the total budget for SFI26 to £290 million, and up to £15 million for on-farm reservoirs.
The government also said it would make it easier to build reservoirs by reducing unnecessary barriers and updating planning guidance, and that the Environment Agency would prioritise requests for short term variations to abstraction licence conditions.
Water, reservoirs, flexibility
GOV.UK said the package includes temporary adjustments to Environmental Land Management agreements so farmers affected by drought can continue to receive payments and take practical steps to protect livestock, crops and land.
Those adjustments, the government said, include removing restrictions so farmers and land managers can cut and graze land in an ELM agreement, allowing farmers to create firebreaks on land in an agreement, and giving farmers more time to plant and establish ELM actions where dry conditions have made planting seed mixes impossible.
Reuters said the extra government support would bolster an incentive scheme for sustainable farming, make it easier for farmers to build reservoirs and improve access to water during droughts.
In GOV.UK’s framing, the package is designed to help farmers get water to crops, keep livestock fed where grass has failed, and continue environmental agreements without losing payments when drought makes agreed activity impossible.
GOV.UK added that the package applies to England only, with drought status declared by the Environment Agency, and said around three-quarters of England is in drought.
Wildfire risk and debate
The Times Series reported Burnham urged members of the public not to light fires in “tinderbox” Britain ahead of a meeting with farmers, warning they were “at the sharp end of a changing climate”.
“ahead of a meeting with farmers whom he warned are “at the sharp end of a changing climate””
It said Burnham’s announcement would follow his visit to Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where a wildfire spread across more than 500 acres and destroyed 19 homes earlier this week.
The Times Series also quoted Burnham urging home cooks and gardeners to “take extra care” by not lighting any fires “in gardens, the countryside or other open spaces, including parks, moorland and wooded areas”.
In GOV.UK’s statement, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle said, "Our farmers are facing some of the toughest conditions in decades, which is why we’re stepping in with practical support to help them through these challenging conditions and build resilience for the future."
The Guardian reported that Burnham said, "Farmers must not carry the risks of the climate crisis alone," as he announced £65m of funding and described the government’s response as a cross-government effort bringing together action on farming, water and infrastructure.
