Suffolk and north Essex farmers are facing what could turn out to be their worst autumn sowing season yet - as they count the cost of Storms Babet and Ciaran.
A horrendously wet autumn has left fields waterlogged - but the full effects of Babet and the other rainstorms which followed are becoming more apparent as winter approaches.
Even now, some farmers have been trying to drill their last seeds during the dying days of autumn in order to make up for lost time.
Glenn Buckingham, of Framsden, near Debenham, said with high costs, Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments disappearing and difficulties with the roll-out of new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the new farming season is proving particularly tough.
The farmer - who is due to become the next chairman of the Suffolk branch of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) in February 2024 and is currently deputy to Andrew Blenkiron - said things were looking "pretty bleak" for farmers as they head into the New Year.
"It isn't just here - across the country there has been a lot of wet and it's held up the autumn work and it's going to have an impact on next year's harvest - that's for sure," he said.
"As one very mature farmer said to me it's the worst year he's known with the increased costs and the weather."
Poor emergence in drilled fields following successive flooding events has been just one of the headaches. There has also been much-reduced opportunities to drill autumn crops - meaning many will have to leave it until spring.
"As I understand it, there are some people who have got no winter seed in the ground. There are a few who have got on very early and have got done," he said. He was going to have another go at sowing some winter seed last week," said Glenn.
But spring seeds are in short supply - and increased demand has a knock-on effect on prices.
Glenn will be returning to the role of NFU branch chairman next year after a four-year stint from February 2018 to 2022, when he was deputised by Andrew Blenkiron. Roles were reversed from February 2022 to 2024 when he became Andrew's deputy.
He would be aiming to try and help develop support for farmers during this transitional period and pointing the issues back to the NFU policy teams, as well as talking to MPs about what was going on, he said.
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