UK announces £65 million package for drought-hit farmers
UK PM Burnham authorises £65 million in extra funding for farmers amid record drought and a poor cereal harvest.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has authorised an additional £65 million ($88 million) in government funding to support farmers grappling with severe drought conditions. The announcement, made on Saturday, comes after England and Wales experienced their driest July since records began.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Burnham framed the support as both an immediate relief measure and a long-term investment in climate resilience. "Today we're putting £65m more into supporting farmers through this drought and preparing for the summers ahead," he wrote, adding that farmers are "on the frontline of a changing climate" and should not be left to face it alone.
The Prime Minister also linked food production to national security, stating, "The ability to grow our own food is national security. I'll treat it that way."
The new funding will strengthen an existing incentive scheme for sustainable farming practices. It will also simplify the process for farmers to construct reservoirs and improve their access to water during periods of drought.
The announcement follows an analysis published earlier this month indicating that Britain's cereal harvest is projected to be the worst since comparable records began in 1984, underscoring the severity of the dry conditions on agricultural output.