Farmers NEED change as a result of flooding report – NFU Comments
Farmers and growers are unlikely to see any immediate change in the management of flood risk in rural areas despite the recommendations put forward in the Pitt report, the NFU warned today.
The report, by Sir Michael Pitt, highlights the difficulties caused for farmers by this summer's flooding, including uninsurable crop damage, drowned animals, interruption to water supplies and the impact on feed and forage, but the Government's Lessons Learned Inquiry needs to make a difference to the way flooding is handled, said NFU Vice President Paul Temple.
The report recognises that farming was among the sectors most badly affected by this summer's floods. The NFU estimates that over 17,000 hectares were submerged with crops destroyed and livestock drowned. Arable farms and horticulture businesses lost at least £7 million.
Mr Temple said: "The report provides an important wake-up call for Government, yet fails to offer any immediate help - help livestock and arable farmers flooded this summer desperately need. I am writing seeking an urgent meeting with Sir Michael and the Floods Recovery Minister John Healey to take forward our concerns."
Among the recommendations were:
·the Environment Agency should open dialogue with all landowners who would be affected by a withdrawal from, or significant reduction in, maintenance of rural watercourses;
·the need for Defra, Natural England and the Environment Agency to work with partner organisations to identify appropriate sites, and develop more incentives, for creating water storage areas, restoring rivers to their natural course, and establishing green corridors;
·the EA should provide analysis of the effect land management practices had, or would have had, on the impact of this summer's floods.
"Farmers have always understood flood prevention as part of good farm and soil management," said Mr Temple. "That many basic aspects of land drainage have been ignored by the relevant authorities for so long has been a source of growing frustration.
"At a time when consumers are now feeling the affects of flooding in their shopping baskets key aspects of drainage maintenance should be seen as a priority this coming year.
"This summer's floods had a devastating effect on farmers in many parts of the country and many are still suffering financial hardship. It is important lessons are learned and plans put in place to minimise the chance of any repeat of this summer's problems and to assist in the recovery after the floods.
"There are many places where a significant reduction in the maintenance of watercourses is already causing problems and we fear that Sir Michael's recommendations may be too little too late. Farmers want to know why this happening and what can be done to sort the problem out now – either by the Environment Agency or by farmers themselves.
"Designed water storage areas can reduce the risking of flooding downstream in some areas, and we fully support the idea of farmers being fully rewarded for measures which are designed to reduce the risk of flooding in urban areas, and recognises the benefits to society of such schemes, but all this takes time."
