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What Happens When Wheat Stops Paying?

What Happens When Wheat Stops Paying?

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Britain's 2026 harvest has been brutally early, dry and disappointing. With cereal yields down across much of the country, the obvious story is drought. But the economics underneath it may be more important. Herefordshire farmer Martin Williams joins Richard Prideaux and Richard Negus to explain why he decided last year not to grow cereals at all. What follows is a wider conversation about the business of British farming: shrinking margins, fertiliser and fuel costs, SFI, global grain markets, dairy, land prices, mixed farming, anaerobic digestion and solar. They also look at the uncomfortable question of what farmers should actually do when producing food no longer offers the best return from their land. Martin argues that British agriculture is already consolidating, that policy has helped shape some decidedly odd business decisions, and that adapting to a changing climate will require more than simply hoping next year's weather is kinder. The conversation finishes with water: storing more of it, keeping more of it in soils, sharing it better, and using it to build farming businesses capable of coping with hotter summers and wetter winters. Plus: Poldark, recreational tillage and the important distinction between a Merlo and a bottle of Merlot.In this episodeWhy Martin Williams decided not to grow cereals this yearWhat the 2026 harvest looks like across England and ScotlandWhy wheat margins have become increasingly difficult for some farmersThe impact of fertiliser, diesel and other input costsHow SFI and agricultural policy are influencing cropping decisionsWhy a poor UK harvest does not necessarily mean higher food pricesGlobal grain markets, Russia and the importance of logisticsLand values, agricultural borrowing and the strange economics of farmlandWhy dairy farmers can be buying and selling cows at the same timeWhether British farming could ever return to more mixed farming systemsThe long-term decline in the number of farms and the consolidation of agricultureEnergy crops, anaerobic digestion and the debate around food versus fuelSolar farms, land use and what happens to agricultural land over the long termHow climate change and increasingly erratic weather affect farm resilienceWhy Martin thinks water storage and water management should be a priority for British farmingThe role of collaboration, farm reservoirs and soil organic matter in adapting to drier summersLinksSustainable Farming Incentive 2026 — Defra guidanceAgricultural Industries Confederation (AIC)AIC policy team — including Ed BarkerLloyds Bank agriculture — with Ben MakowieckiFuture Biogas — anaerobic digestion and energy cropsTurriff ShowNational Farmers’ UnionDefra drought support — including funding for on-farm reservoirsDefra guidance on farming during prolonged dry weather and droughtCreditsPresented by Richard Negus and Richard PrideauxProduced for SideCountry by George Browne and edited by Amy Green. DISCLAIMERViews are those of individual speakers and do not necessarily represent SideCountry, its presenters, contributors, partners or sponsors. For general information and entertainment only. Laws, seasons, access and guidance change; check official sources, obtain permission and act within your competence.
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