15 September 2025
A report by the Chelmsford Diocese Rural Adviser and Agricultural Chaplain, the Rev'd Canon Janet Nicholls.
As we prepare to celebrate Harvest Festival in our churches and communities, please be mindful of the challenges faced by farming families in our diocese and the consequences for us all in terms of food supply, food costs and environmental protections. The sermon podcast for Sunday 28th September will address the issues of Harvest Thanksgiving following a disappointing and difficult harvest. The support and pastoral care provided by our churches, especially in rural communities, is greatly appreciated. Personal invitations for farming families to Harvest Festivals and Harvest Suppers demonstrate that the church is actively supporting them. Local food sourcing for suppers and events, show that this support isn’t superficial!
Essex Harvest 2025
Some farmers are describing this harvest as catastrophic; others have not been impacted seriously, reflecting the large variations even across our diocese. The dry growing season of 2025 (the driest spring for 100 years) has impacted across the board though. Some crops failed completely. The lack of rain and intense heat caused stunted growth and reduced yields especially on light soils. In addition to reduced grain, stunted growth produces less straw for animal bedding. Heavier, clay soils retained moisture more efficiently and produced some reasonable crops. Essex vegetable producers especially relied on costly irrigation to maintain the supply of British vegetables on our supermarket shelves.
Even where yields have exceeded expectations, declining prices are weighing heavily on profitability and cash flow. For those recording low yields, the impact is even more acute. This year’s difficulties come on the back of another tough season in 2024, compounding the pressure on farming businesses.
The impact is also being felt by livestock farmers. The lack of rain impacted significantly on grass with reduced grazing potential for sheep and cattle, and reduced hay and silage production. Farmers were supplementing grass with ‘winter-feed’ much earlier than usual. Reduced supplies of hay, silage and feed have caused a significant increase in costs. This will also impact on farm diversifications such as equine which provide back-up income.
National Crop Yields
For those who like the detail, nationally, the wheat harvest has given an average yield estimated at 7.3t/ha, which is 9.1% below the 10-year average (which includes two particularly challenging years, 2020 and 2024). Despite variability, wheat quality – particularly milling quality – remains positive, with strong proteins. However, prices are worryingly low, impacting on farm revenues at a time when a range of grants and subsidies are being withdrawn or reduced.
The spring barley harvest showed early promising results from southern England with more mixed outcomes further north, with reports of crops failing to make malting quality due to high screenings.
The oat yields are averaging 4.8t/ha, down 10% on the five-year average, with marked variation. Winter oat quality has generally been good, but spring oats have struggled, with both lower yields and quality.
Helen Plant, AHDB senior analyst, said: “The 2025 harvest has been characterised by extreme variability – between farms, regions, and even within fields. For many, yields are well below average, though others are recording stronger results. However, across the board, lower grain prices this year will limit the financial returns. Coming after a difficult 2024, this is another challenging year for arable farmers. Despite this, harvest progress was rapid, and the quality of wheat was a positive.”
Environmental Schemes
Many farmers in our Diocese are proud of the progress they have made over recent years on biodiversity, climate change mitigation and renewable fuel production.
There are considerable uncertainties over these schemes, causing another area of concern in the agricultural industry. Some UK farm environmental schemes are under threat due to significant changes in government policy and funding, with the closure of new applications to the Sustainable farming Incentives (SFI) in early 2025 causing uncertainty and frustration among farmers. The original Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMs) schemes are being re-evaluated, with a new "improved" SFI to be launched later in the year, but details on its scale and funding remain unclear, making long-term planning impossible and undermining confidence in the system.
E-10 fuel made from British wheat is also facing significant challenges. English bioethanol fuel production is under serious threat following the UK-US trade deal, which removed a 19% import tariff and introduced a duty-free quota for US ethanol imports, making domestic production commercially unviable. Consequently, Vivergo, the UK's largest bioethanol plant, is facing closure, with its owner considering shutting down operations and beginning consultations for an "orderly wind-down". The other major UK plant, Ensus, also faces significant risk of closure, leading to widespread concern for the workers and supply chains, including farmers and hauliers, that depend on the industry.
Impacts on farmers
For many farmers, this harvest has added to pressure, both financially and emotionally, which has been rising since the budget of October 2024. The proposed changes to Inheritance Tax have especially impacted on morale in the agricultural industry and there are mental health concerns across the board as we move into winter. The suicide risk in agriculture is well-documented and remains of great concern.
As a Diocese we are expanding our team of agricultural chaplains to provide increased support. Please contact me for further information. jnicholls@chelmsford.anglican.org
We also have some excellent farming charities working in the Diocese, each offering bespoke provision for farming families
The Farming Community Network (FCN) Helpline 03000 111 999, help@fcn.org.uk
You Are Not Alone (YANA) Helpline 0300 323 0400, helpline@yanahelp.org
Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) Helpline 0800 188 444, info@rabi.org.uk
Revd Canon Janet Nicholls
Rural Adviser and Agricultural Chaplain
jnicholls@chelmsford.anglican.org
County Harvest Festival
Sunday 28 September, 3.30pm, Chelmsford Cathedral
On Sunday 28 September the countryside will come to the city! Essex farmers will decorate the cathedral with corn sheaves and bales of straw to provide a fitting backdrop to our harvest service. At 3.30pm the grand procession into the cathedral will begin! This year we will have animals from Barleylands Farm, Young Farmers with produce from their farms, and a tractor, processing into the cathedral.
Farmers, rural clergy, and representatives from agricultural organisations and farming charities will participate in the service. We are especially mindful of the challenging environment for farmers at present and we hope to project a loud message of thanks to them as well as highlighting the provision offered by our farming support charities.
Bishop Roger Morris will be highlighting the Essex legacy of John Joseph Mechi, the founder of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. Thanks to the generosity of Wilkin and Sons, the afternoon will be rounded off with an iconic Tiptree Cream Tea in recognition of 140 years of jam-production at Tiptree. The gifts of Essex farm produce will be given to the Chelmsford charity, Sanctus, to provide meals for local people who are homeless.
Everyone is warmly invited to the service and tea.
For further information, please contact Revd Canon Janet Nicholls, Rural Adviser and Agricultural Chaplain.
