Farming recovery fund extension welcomed by the NFU

The news that North East farmers are to be given access to the government's Farming Recovery Fund in the wake of the Boxing Day floods has been welcomed by the NFU.

Reacting to today's announcement, regional environment adviser James Copeland said it would be a huge relief to the local farming community who would otherwise face major uninsured losses with great swathes of productive farmland submerged beneath the floodwater.

The recovery fund was set up before Christmas in response to flooding in Cumbria, Northumberland and North Lancashire caused by storm Desmond.

"But with so many Yorkshire farms now affected by very severe flooding, regional and national staff have been working round the clock since Boxing Day to ensure that the impact on farmers was at the forefront of the Minister's mind and that priority was given to extending the reach of the Recovery Fund," said Mr Copeland.

"With hundreds of acres of crops, and pasture land under water and livestock swept away, farmers will be grateful for some help in getting their business recovery underway. This is crucial if the terrible weather we have experienced is not to have a significant impact on food production for next year."

Although the fund will not cover the cost of replanting lost crops, it will help with the cost of restoring agricultural land to the condition it was in before flooding arrived.

This means, for example, helping to remove debris deposited by floodwater, restoring access and trackways and repairing drainage on flood damaged land. Although grant aid can cover up to 100% of the costs incurred, farmers will have to outline the work required and the likely cost before submitting any claim.

The minimum grant available is £500 and the maximum is £20,000. In awarding the grants Defra must be able to satisfy the EU that 30% of the relevant agricultural potential has been destroyed.

"Today's announcement will certainly help with the short term recovery challenges," added Mr Copeland. "However in the long term, given the increasing frequency of these serious flooding events, the NFU urges the government, Defra and flood risk authorities to take a fresh look at how we manage flooding situations, balancing the complexities of individual catchments and river systems."