Grosvenor Farms, the dairy business on the Duke of Westminster's Eaton Estate near Chester, illustrates the mounting pressures on British agriculture from climate change and economic strain, even as it remains one of the sector's better-performing operations. Heatwaves, fertiliser shortages linked to the Iran war, disease and post-Brexit labour shortages have combined to make farming increasingly difficult, with the estate's managing director describing conditions as "very, very challenging" despite the farm's relative resilience through investment in circular farming and biomethane.

Lea Manor Farm, part of the 349-year-old Grosvenor empire, employs 77 staff and milks 2,600 Holstein Friesian cows, producing more than 34m litres of milk annually across 4,685 hectares. Oversupply has driven UK milk prices down by up to 50% this year, while the June heatwave, which pushed temperatures to 36C, cut each cow's daily yield by up to six litres, with some other farms reporting losses of up to 10 litres per cow. With half of England and Wales officially in drought, wheat at half its normal height and broccoli yields down 50%, the UK is increasingly reliant on food imports from countries such as Spain as global prices climb.