Farmers issue urgent warning over food shortages after torrential downpours [Video]

Farmers have issued an urgent warning over food shortages after heavy rain has battered the UK.

The downpours have left agricultural land saturated and often still under water, with arable farmers unable to plant spring crops and losing those from the winter.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) warned the rain, combined with unseasonably low spring temperatures, is also hitting livestock farmers, with a “bleak attrition rate” for lambs born this spring.

NFU vice president Rachel Hallos said a crisis is building in the farming sector, with bad weather adding to soaring costs of inputs such as fertiliser, and warned consumers could see the effects because produce “simply doesn’t leave the farm gate”.

Ms Hallos said farmers have suffered during torrential downpours since October 2023 – including from storms like Henk in January – and …