The government has been told to start taking water-related issues 'seriously' in order to better protect productive farmland in the future.
At the recent trade event Floodex, the NFU highlighted how farming has been impacted by volatile weather events recently, such as flooding and drought.
NFU Vice President, Stuart Roberts spoke to delegates at the Peterborough event and highlighted the importance of internal drainage boards (IDBs) in battling extremities.
An IDB is a local public authority that manages water levels. They are an integral part of managing flood risk and land drainage within areas of special drainage need in England and Wales.
Such boards are created to manage intricate draining systems and help land flourish for agriculture, the environment and the communities that live there.
Mr Roberts called for 'adequate funding' to ensure that the 'great work' farmers and IDBs are doing to protect people, property and livelihoods is not 'lost'.
He also explained why the government must have policies in place to protect a future supply of clean water, as volatile weather events 'expose the vulnerability' of the farming sector.
“Farmers bear the brunt of the impacts of extreme weather, its uncertainty and volatility. It’s not just a severe lack of water like we experienced during last summer’s agricultural drought but the flooding of agricultural land leading to a loss of crops and animals,” he said.
“Farmers can be part of the solution and through internal drainage boards. The importance of these cannot be underestimated and the expertise and knowledge provided by farmers must be recognised.
“The government has stated that 2019 is the year of green action. But what about blue? We really must start taking water-related issues seriously in order to safeguard this essential resource for the future and to protect productive farmland from predicted rises in sea level and increasingly frequent flooding.”
Mr Roberts added: “The farming industry is on the forefront of climate change impacts and producing safe, traceable and affordable food is a daily challenge for farmers.
“The lessons we have learned clearly identify what policies need to be in place to provide a clean water supply, ensure the future of the environment and deliver food security for the nation.”
