Agroinsurance

NEWS

UK - Spring snowfall endangers newborn lambs across the UK

05.04.2019 767 views

Farmers are worried about the effects a spring snowfall and cold weather snap will have on livestock during lambing season.

A cold weather snap bringing snow and ice to parts of the UK this week has raised concerns for farmers trying to protect their newborn lambs from the elements. Lambing season, which is recognised by many as the start to spring, is a significant event in British farming calendars. But the wintry weather during this season's peak has roused worries over the newborns' ability to survive. Cumbrian shepherdess Hannah Jackson posted videos to Twitter on Wednesday, showing her trudging through several inches of snow in search of her new lambs. "It's like being in a winter wonderland… in April," she noted. "It's getting a bit silly now that they're being born in this weather." To combat the adverse conditions, Ms Jackson then dressed the lambs in made-to-measure jackets, while taking weaker newborns into a barn to shelter them from the cold.

"We had some lambs born yesterday, and we have brought them inside because they got wet," she said. "We put them in a warming box and then under a heat lamp to dry. We also gave them extra milk." This is not a first for dangerous weather in spring. In 2013, an estimated tens of thousands of livestock were killed during the coldest month of March in decades. Substantial snow falls across much of the country left farmers struggling to dig sheep out of deep drifts. While the Met Office has not predicted a similar incident for this season, warnings are still in place. A yellow warning for snow was placed over Wales and the West Midlands until mid-morning on Thursday, while temperatures also dipped below zero overnight in eastern England. Source - https://news.sky.com/

EVENTS

ScaleAgData Stakeholder Engagement Event

22.10.2024

The ScaleAgData project is pleased to invite you to our second stakeholder event. Building on the discussions and connections formed during our first webinar, this event will focus on fostering collaboration among stakeholders, providing updates on our project’s progress, and outlining future opportunities for engagement.

RISK EVENTS

Cyclone Alfred causes $11 million crop damage in Australia

20.03.2025

The Australian horticultural sector faced challenges following Cyclone Alfred's impact in late February.

USA - Software vendor sues FCIC after regulators reverse agent compensation rules

The firm alleges it invested nearly $20 million based on federal approvals later reversed.

12.03.2026

Philippines - Eastern Visayas to pilot mangrove insurance program

Hundreds of residents along the coast of Cancabato Bay were saved when Typhoon Yolanda struck this city in November 2013, thanks to a mangrove forest established by a local fishing community.

12.03.2026

India - Farmers fear yield loss after hailstorm in Ajnala villages

Intermittent drizzling accompanied by moderate winds and sporadic hailstorms in parts of the region early Thursday morning led to a noticeable drop in temperature, providing relief from the recent spell of rising heat.

12.03.2026

USA - As strawberry season begins, SC farmers are wary of disease threat that could ruin crops

South Carolina strawberry farmers are approaching spring with cautious optimism.

12.03.2026

Philippines - PCIC: Over 80% of farmers’ insurance claims released within 20 days

The majority of insurance claims of farmers and fishers have been released within the standard 20-day processing period in 2025, according to the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

12.03.2026

India - Centre to procure 100% tur dal from farmers in Madhya Pradesh

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday approved 100% procurement of tur (pigeon pea) dal from Madhya Pradesh, a move aimed at protecting farmers from any fall in market prices.

11.03.2026

Scaling up crop insurance in Africa for climate resilience and agricultural transformation

As climate change impacts intensify, African economies face increasing exposure to extreme weather events. The World Bank estimates that nearly 18% of the world’s population is at risk from severe weather events from which recovery would be difficult; in Africa, that number is 37%.

11.03.2026

USA - Specialty Crop Losses Outpace Federal Bridge Assistance Funding

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rolling out a new Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program for specialty crops — that is, crops not included in the first $1 billion relief package — but early analysis from Terrain suggests economic losses across the sector far exceed available funding.