"This year, it's not good at all - not for the crops, not for the livestock," Palmer said.
In Somerset, Met Office data indicates this summer is tracking as the fourth driest since records began, trailing only the historic dry spells of 1995, 1976, and prior benchmarks.
Farmers report substantial heat damage to field vegetables and brassica crops planted earlier in the month.
"We do seem to have these long dry spells now, we used to say in this country that if you don't like the weather then wait a minute but that doesn't apply anymore," Palmer said.
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Irrigation infrastructure is under severe pressure as farm reservoirs run dry and 1,353 abstraction licence restrictions take effect across river catchments.
"You just have to work with it and not let it get to you," Palmer added.
Extreme heat accelerated crop losses before growers could supply adequate irrigation water to vulnerable fields.
"It's not just the lack of rain it's the temperature - some crops died from the heat before we got water onto them," said Richard Plowright, an organic farmer at Over Stowey in the Quantock Hills.
Multiple growers reported the total loss of parsnip and celeriac crops, alongside stunted development in early brassica varieties.
"We're desperate for rain and we hope there's enough time, light and temperature left in the year to bring these plants on, so we can all have sprouts for Christmas," Plowright said.
