Adam Henson says the harvest at Bemborough Farm is not looking good. He says winter wheat and winter barley yields are down by about a ton to a ton and a half per hectare after prolonged dry weather.
“Because of the drought and because of our thin soil, the yields may not be that good.” He added: “So, that hits us significantly when it comes to the profitability of the farm.”
Bemborough Farm in the Cotswolds
Henson, who has appeared on Countryfile since 2001, gave the update from Bemborough Farm in the Cotswolds after showing viewers around the grain store. He said around 350 tonnes of barley had been stored, but reduced yields and low global commodity prices for wheat and barley were leaving little profit in grain growing.
That combination hits arable farms twice. Lower output reduces what goes into store, while weaker wheat and barley prices cut the value of what is sold. Henson said the same pressure is affecting many other arable farmers across the UK.
AHDB and the 2026 harvest
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board says the 2026 harvest is the earliest in at least 20 years, and cereal yields are generally below the 10-year average. Some farms are seeing significant reductions in cereal yields, which fits Henson’s account of a season that is arriving early but delivering less grain.
Henson’s line is hard to miss: the crop has been worked, invested in and looked after, but the return is thinning out before it reaches the shed. With yields down 1 to 1.5 tons per hectare and prices still low, the immediate issue for growers is not timing alone but how much margin is left once the grain is sold.
Countryfile and Adam Henson
For Henson, the real test is whether this season can still produce any meaningful profit after the dry spell and the yield drop. The farm update points to a tighter year for arable businesses, and the next pressure point is simple: whether the grain now coming off fields can cover the costs already sunk into it.
