Adapting to different weather conditions is an inevitable part of farming; however, sometimes there are extreme weather events, such as flooding or drought, which can cause serious problems on farm.

Here we provide general guidance on some key contractual principles. If you are concerned that you may not be able to meet your contracted tonnage following an extreme weather event, it is advisable to contact your customer to discuss your situation, as well as contacting NFU CallFirst to seek initial legal advice.

This page considers the position in relation to commercial contracts. If you are concerned about possible breaches of agri-environment scheme/ELMs agreements, you should refer to the relevant scheme handbook for further information.

Check your contract

Force majeure (Act of God) clause

Many supply contracts contain clauses which seek to deal with situations where particular events occur which are outside the control of the parties. These are most commonly referred to as ‘force majeure’ clauses.