Cost of living crisis: Farming industry struggling with rising costs

The NFU said workers were struggling to make ends meets with the rising costs

Farmers across the south west of England have said say they are struggling to absorb rising costs as food prices continue to climb.

Research by the National Farmers Union (NFU) said spiralling costs forced some to make significant changes, with others faced going out of business.

Its figures showed more than 3% of dairy producers in the South West had closed over the last six months.

The NFU South West chairman said prices had soared for those in the industry.

NFU South West chairman and sheep farmer Mark Weekes said farmers were quitting their jobs due to "lack of certainty"

Mark Weekes said many dairy farmers had "given up" because they had "had enough".

Mr Weekes said: "Our costs, like everybody else's, have gone through the roof. Fertiliser this year has trebled in price, red diesel, the diesel which we use, has doubled in price which is a great deal more than what road diesel has gone up.

"With the current climate, cost of living, loss of BPS [basic payment scheme] and more environmental pressure, I'd be very surprised if we didn't see more and more farmers say, 'I've had enough'."

A farmer attending the Devon County Show on Thursday told the BBC she was thankful her household didn't depend solely on their farm financially.

"Financially, we've got two more incomes coming into the house which manages to keep everything afloat, if it was just the farm, I'd be very worried because we wouldn't be able to survive," she said.

The government announced measures to help with the increased costs in its food strategy for England in June, saying it was "backing farmers" with a pledge to increase domestic food supply.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We are inviting farmers to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

"Farmers will receive payments within three months of application."