In 1976, France’s maize harvest hit a historic low; 50 years later, extreme heat and drought could be pushing it there again

Europe’s farming calendar is changing rapidly as rising temperatures push major crops to maturity weeks earlier than they did at the beginning of the century. But the earlier harvests are masking a much bigger problem: extreme heat and prolonged drought are damaging yields across some of the continent’s most important agricultural regions.

The warning is particularly stark for maize.