July 2025 has been a rollercoaster month for UK farmers. The weather extremes, legislation, regulation and so much more, it has been a lot for farmers and rural businesses to take in. Here’s our take on the stories that had everyone talking this month and why they matter for the future of farming careers.
The Early Harvest
The warm spell in late June and all through July led to an early harvest. Combines were in the fields a number of weeks earlier than would ordinarily be expected during the harvest season, with winter barley and rye being harvested two to three weeks earlier than usual. Ceres Rural reported that on good soils, yields continued to hold up well, yet straw was short, down by as much as 30% where it had been cut. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board confirmed that we were at approximately 10% of winter barley harvested at the beginning of July with reasonable yields, yet straw was lost.
This rapid change to the process of farming turned any plans upside down, forcing farmers and contractors to work adaptively and change in shot order – reinforcing again how flexible and forward-thinking the workforce is, and how in demand this characteristic is.
Irrigation in East Anglia
One of the biggest shocks was the unexpected irrigation ban imposed by the Environment Agency on land and water belonging to over 240 farms in the Ely Ouse catchment, on the 3rd July. With rivers running out of water, potato, onion and sugar beet producers had to put down tools at a vital time. After prolonged pressure from the NFU, the ban was eased later in the month, permitting limited irrigation on set days.
The whole event was a wakeup call: as water becomes scarcer, farms will need people who can plan, innovate and manage every drop.
Grants Back on the Table
The good news was that Defra reopened its Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants programme of £150 million. Farmers can now apply for £25,000 for projects to address water, air and flood issues and up to £35,000 for tree planting, orchards, hedgerows etc. There are also new options, such as wildfire prevention and visitor facilities.
These grants not only represent funds, but they could also unlock specialist providers in conservation, planning and rural project management.
Fairer Milk Contracts at Last
From the 9th July, a long-awaited shake-up in milk contracts came into effect. In good news for anyone in dairy, the new rules prevented buyers from making unilateral changes, capped notice periods to 12 months, required pricing transparency, and provided a 21-day cooling-off period to farmers. An Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator will oversee how this works.
For dairy farmers and those around them, this will provide more stability and a better footing for planning for the future.
NFU Turns Up the Pressure on Profitability
July also saw the NFU serving a warning shot to the government as part of Defra's farm profitability review. NFU president Tom Bradshaw described the sector as facing a "perfect storm" of costs, volatile markets and climate pressures. The union is calling for fairer supply chains, better access to finance and stable, longer-term policy.
In short: make farming viable, and the industry can keep bringing in and developing the people it needs.
Getting Winter Ready
Finally, the Environment Agency has launched the "Winter Ready campaign". With wetter winters and drier summers, farmers are now being urged to ensure that they have six-month slurry storage, if the guttering is fixed and that the plan is ready for heavy rainfall in winter.
That only means one thing for demand for people behind the scenes - practical problem-solvers with skills in infrastructure and risk management.
What It All Means for Careers in Farming
If July showed one thing, it's that UK farming is changing fast. Jobs in the sector are not just about traditional skills any more; they increasingly demand knowledge of technology, water management, sustainability, and business planning.
At Agricultural Recruitment Specialists, we exist to connect farmers, agri-businesses and rural organisations with people who can meet these challenges. The forthcoming months will prove challenging too, and we will be following it all.
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