A new Act approved by Parliament aimed at reducing flood risks in homes and businesses fails to recognise the need to produce food in England and Wales and could raise costs for farms with on-site reservoirs, the NFU has warned.
The Flood and Water Management Act, given Royal Assent on April 8, does not consider the scale and impact of proposals on the ability to produce sustainable food. More than half of grade one agricultural land lies within five metres above sea level and 40 per cent of vegetables produced in England and Wales are produced in low-lying fens.
The NFU has raised concerns that the desire for environmental enhancement could take precedent over the need to maintain domestic food production.The situation is worsened because the Environmental Agency has legislative powers to take environmental action irrespective of the scale and impact on farming business.
Small farms with on-site reservoirs could also be affected by re-classification, with thresholds of large reservoirs being reduced from a current capacity of 25,000 cubic metres to 10,000 cubic metres.
NFU water policy adviser Jenny Bashford said:"A second Water Bill, or at least a white paper on water issues, is expected in the first session of Parliament following the election.
"We will continue to press for food policy to be a material consideration in the Flood Risk Management process.
"We will also press for an appeals process for local strategies to vary from the national strategy, subject to significant reasons for doing so, and reassurance that no changes in the registration costs will be passed on to farmers."