Union calls for flexible abstraction licences, streamlined planning system and investment in on-farm reservoirs
The NFU has called for changes to licensing, planning and investment to help growers and farmers cope with severe drought conditions.
The appeal comes as the Met Office reported July 2026 rainfall was among the lowest on record. Crops including brassicas and peas have been affected by the prolonged extreme weather.
The NFU outlined a series of immediate actions it says are needed to both address the immediate challenges posed by drought and to improve resilience in the years ahead.
The introduction of more flexible abstraction licenses would ensure farmers can take and store water when it rains for use at times of shortage, the union said.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw added: “More flexible abstraction rules are needed so farmers can access water for irrigation. This would enable us to grow more of the food we can and should produce here ourselves, especially fruit and vegetables.”
The union also urged the government to streamline the planning system to make it quicker and easier for farmers and growers to build water storage to prepare for future dry periods.
In addition, the NFU called for investment in on-farm reservoirs, which it says could be provided by opening the Water Management Grant or broadening the scope of the Annual Investment Allowance.
Extreme weather has become increasingly frequent in recent years. The NFU’s own 10-year weather survey found that 68 per cent of farmers and growers have seen an increase in drought over the past decade.
Bradshaw warned that increasing reliance on imported food could leave the UK exposed as climate-related disruption intensifies across Europe.
“The picture is even worse when we look across Europe to many of the countries we import food from, with huge wildfires across France and Spain,” he said.
“While retailers are used to managing variations in global supply, we’re not going to be able to trade our way through this potential crisis.”
The NFU urged ministers to fast-track investment and planning reforms, arguing that domestic food production should be recognised as part of the nation’s infrastructure.
