In the heart of Yorkshire, where rolling fields once promised golden harvests and reservoirs brimmed with life, a crisis is quietly unfolding. For Simon Hinchliffe, a farmer from Slade Hooton near Rotherham, the past two years have been nothing short of a trial by weather—a relentless cycle of drought and flood that threatens not only his crops, but the future of his family’s farm.
“I would always wish to continue in farming, but the economics at the moment mean that may not be possible—you can’t lose money year on year,” Hinchliffe told the BBC, his frustration palpable as he surveyed a storage shed that, in better years, would be brimming with grain. Instead, this summer’s yield is down by a staggering third, with 1,300 fewer tonnes of milling wheat than expected. The culprit: England’s driest spring in over a century, as confirmed by the Met Office, and a drought officially declared across Yorkshire.
It’s not the first blow Hinchliffe’s land has suffered. Just last year, his family’s fields were battered by flooding during what the UK Met Office has called the second-wettest winter on record, stretching from October 2023 to March 2024. The swings between deluge and drought have left the farm’s budget forecasts in tatters. “The good years are [becoming] fewer, so it’s getting more difficult,” he admitted. Their financial models once anticipated no profit for two years out of every five, but with climate extremes intensifying, even those modest expectations are slipping away.
The consequences ripple far beyond Hinchliffe’s fields. When domestic yields drop, wheat purchasers turn to imports to fill the gap, yet prices in the UK remain stubbornly flat. For farmers, this means lower profits with none of the relief that higher prices might bring. “We do a job that is essential, and it’s not just a job to us, it’s a way of life. We want to produce wholesome, good quality food to be proud of,” Hinchliffe said, reflecting on the pride he feels that his 19-year-old son still wishes to follow him into the business, despite the daunting odds.
But pride alone won’t keep the lights on. Like many in the region, the Hinchliffes are diversifying, seeking new streams of income to keep the farm afloat. Weddings, land rentals, and other ventures now supplement their core mission of food production. It’s a story echoed across the British countryside, where resilience is being tested in ways few could have predicted even a decade ago.
Jamie Burrows, chair of the National Farmers’ Union crops board, offered a sobering perspective. “Some are seeing better-than-expected yields, while others are facing significant drops which will have substantial financial implications,” Burrows said in an interview with the BBC. He stressed that weather extremes—droughts and floods alike—are “becoming more pronounced and regular.”
Burrows called for urgent investment in climate adaptation, including support for more resilient crop varieties and robust water infrastructure. “Looking ahead, farmers growing crops need investment in climate adaptation and resilient crop varieties to safeguard our ability to feed the nation, weather market volatility and to adapt to a changing climate,” he said. The need for better water infrastructure is especially pressing: “Across the wider farming industry, we need investment in water infrastructure and changes to our planning system so we’re better able to capture rain in times of plenty for use when it’s needed.”
Meanwhile, urban and rural communities alike are feeling the pinch of water scarcity. Yorkshire Water, the region’s main supplier, reported that as of mid-August 2025, reservoir levels had plummeted to just 39 percent of capacity—down from the 74 percent typically expected at this time of year. BBC weatherman Paul Hudson called it “a record low for mid-August,” a stark warning for a region that relies heavily on these reserves.
To stave off disaster, Yorkshire Water introduced a hosepipe ban on July 11, 2025, and the public responded: domestic water use has dropped by 10 percent since the restrictions began. But the situation remains precarious. The company’s Drought Plan sets the trigger for an emergency drought order at 20 percent capacity—a threshold that, if crossed, could see water pressure reduced, rotating supply cuts (known as ‘rota cuts’), and even the deployment of standpipes or water tanks in the streets, cutting off supply to homes. Such drastic measures would require approval from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and, as Yorkshire Water’s plan notes, “could have severe social and economic impacts which are not considered acceptable, and most of the actions would be almost impossible to implement from a practical viewpoint.”
Complicating matters further, the last reservoir built in Yorkshire was Grimwith, completed back in 1983. The infrastructure simply hasn’t kept pace with growing demand and increasingly erratic weather patterns. Yorkshire Water has ramped up efforts to fix leaks, which currently account for a whopping 17 percent of water loss—a figure that underscores the scale of the challenge. The company has also applied to the government to reduce the flow of water from reservoirs into rivers, hoping to conserve as much as possible while awaiting the autumn and winter rains. “Previous weather patterns also indicate we will receive rainfall in the autumn and winter months, again reducing the likelihood of additional measures,” a Yorkshire Water spokesperson said, echoing a hope shared by many in the region.
Still, the specter of further restrictions looms. “As would be expected, we plan for every eventuality and our Drought Plan includes the possibility of further restrictions should they be required,” the company said. The delicate balance between human needs, agriculture, and the environment grows ever more precarious as the climate crisis deepens.
For farmers like Hinchliffe, the future remains uncertain. His son’s determination to continue the family tradition is both a source of pride and a reminder of what’s at stake—not just for one family, but for an entire way of life. As the weather grows ever more unpredictable and the old certainties fade, Yorkshire’s farmers and communities are left hoping for rain, relief, and a renewed commitment to safeguarding the resources that sustain them.
As the region waits for the skies to open, the resilience and ingenuity of its people will be tested yet again. Their response—rooted in tradition, but forced to adapt—may well shape the future of farming and water management across the UK.
