Farmers urged to prepare for floods as £4.2bn defence push unveiled

Farmers and rural communities are being urged to prepare for increasingly unpredictable weather as the government launches a new flood advice service and sets a target to improve protection for 200,000 properties across England.

The Flood Action Online website, launched during the Environment Agency's Flood Action Week, provides guidance on checking flood risks, accessing warnings and preparing for severe weather.

Flooding and prolonged waterlogging can disrupt farming operations, affecting crop establishment, fieldwork, livestock management and access to agricultural land.

The new service brings together free flood warnings, Met Office weather alerts and information on practical measures to reduce damage to properties.

Its launch comes alongside a £4.2 billion flood defence programme running from April 2025 to March 2029, covering repairs, replacements and the construction of new defences across hundreds of projects.

The government estimates the investment will deliver £27.9 billion in economic benefits through avoided flood damage.

For farmers, timely warnings can provide opportunities to protect livestock, machinery and stored produce before severe conditions develop.

Floods Minister Emma Hardy said: “Climate change means that extreme weather can switch quickly, but we’re more prepared than ever before for the challenges posed by floods.”

The announcement also comes ahead of the first meeting of the government's Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce this week.

The group will focus on strengthening the country's ability to prepare for and respond to flooding, drought and other extreme weather events.

The government said it had already spent £2.65 billion on flood defences during its first two years, improving protection for almost 62,000 properties against an original target of 52,000.

It also reported improvements in existing flood defence infrastructure, with 93% of assets meeting or exceeding their required condition at the end of March 2026.

Ministers are aiming to increase that figure to 93.5% by March 2029.

Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Floods at the Environment Agency, said: “Every year, flooding threatens communities across England, and as we deal with the changing climate, it’s never been more important for people to understand what they can do to prepare.”

She said the new website would make flood guidance easier to access, while continued investment and maintenance would help keep existing defences effective.

As winter approaches, the Environment Agency is preparing for potential flooding emergencies with 260 mobile pumps, including 17 ultra-high-volume pumps.

The agency also has 25 kilometres of temporary flood barriers available for deployment, alongside a round-the-clock emergency response operation.

Around 600 staff are on call at any one time, with arrangements in place to increase resources if severe flooding occurs.

Flooding can leave farm access routes impassable and delay essential field operations, with disruption potentially continuing long after water levels recede.

Checking flood risks and monitoring warnings can give farmers valuable time to move livestock, safeguard machinery and prepare for disruption where it is safe to do so.

Further guidance is available through Flood Action Online, while free alerts and warnings can be accessed through the government's flood warning service.