Farmers in southern England are increasingly worried about an extended dry spell that is adversely affecting their crops. With little rain expected, germination is stalling, especially for spring barley, as exemplified by Colin Rayner of Stubbings Farm. He notes the drastic weather changes over the past 50 years, with alternating periods of extreme wet and dry conditions. Other farmers, like George Brown, report uneven crop development, while agricultural experts warn that these shifts create significant planning challenges for farmers.
The weather has changed dramatically in the last 50 years. We seem to get periods of extreme wet and then periods of extreme hot and dry.
A lot of the crops that were planted early are coming through, but we've got large chunks - especially on top of the hills - where it's absolutely barren.
The ground's dried out very quickly. We've had cold temperatures but then very hot lunchtimes.
Agriculture really depends on consistent weather patterns, and this volatility is making our farm planning increasingly difficult.
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