A scheme to support flood-hit farmers must open as soon as possible, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has urged, after one of the wettest and stormiest winters in decades. As Spring blooms and lambing continues across the UK, thousands of acres of prime food-producing land remain submerged or waterlogged, following months of relentless rainfall and the wettest 12 month-period in 150 years. February was the 4th wettest since records began in 1871 in England, with a rainfall total of 130mm representing 225% of the 1961 to 1990 long-term average, and there have been 10 named storms in recent months. Some winter crops did not get planted, while others have been washed away, with conditions so poor many are already fearing for harvest this year. Most of the losses are uninsurable. After Storm Henk in early January, the Government announced that farmers who had suffered uninsurable damage to their land from that storm would be able to apply for grants of up to £25,000 through the Farming Recovery Fund. But the fund is still not open, 3 months later, and the CLA is calling for urgent action. CLA President Victoria Vyvyan has said:
“The fund is welcome but farmers need help right now and it must open as soon as possible. “The impact of flooding on farm businesses up and down the country is profound, damaging infrastructure such as fencing and walls, contaminating soil and jeopardising environmental projects. Crops and livestock have been badly affected, and any reduction in domestic food production may lead to an increase in imports and prices. “Farmers are dynamic and forward-thinking and are used to working with extreme weather, but the last few months have been especially difficult. The winter rainfall is pushing businesses to their limit and many fear for this entire cropping season.”
Landowners don’t receive compensation when the Environment Agency effectively floods their fields to protect downstream houses and villages, despite the harm to their crops and livelihoods, and the CLA is calling for more support to repair the damage. Victoria adds:
“Years of poor management of watercourses and flood defences by the Environment Agency, often caused by lack of resources, means farmers are still unfairly shouldering the burden of flooding devastation. “Farming businesses are willing to help protect homes and businesses from flooding by storing floodwater, but in turn there should be recognition of the added burdens on farmers with appropriate compensation.”
Can we now stop pretending climate change is not real??
It is and we did it. Pull your head out of your arse and wake up sheep. We should have delt with this twenty years ago but instead the oil shills stopped and chance of dealing with it with simple fixes. And now, because the oil companies wanted to make all that money so they can fund wars around the world we’re now stuck with very drastic action needed. Best not have any kids, they have no future. In 50 years we’ll have tens of millions waiting in France to escape up north. Mainland EU will become the next desert. It’s really is that bad! It’s game over man!!
Climate Change is a real as geoengineering.
Is that straight from the Flat-Earther’s Handbook?
Geoengineering proposals were first developed in the middle of the 20th century. Relying on technologies developed during World War II, such proposals were designed to alter weather systems in order to obtain more favourable climate conditions on a regional scale.
Please do some research , before showing ignorance.
Of course it’s real and the evidence from around the world is irrefutable.
Yet look at the downvotes you (and probably,) get from the deniers putting their fingers in their ears going “la la la not listening” like the toddlers they are.
Meanwhile their grandkids have an uncertain future, made more uncertain by their denial.
Use the extortionate parking charges and toilet charges
What the Fcuk are the Council doing with all these millions of pounds?????
Get real, there’s always been climate change, be it man made or natural. Least costly is for us humans to adapt. No one controls the weather she is a beast of her own
Yea & they want to build build build on our greenfield areas that soak away water, so crack on greedy Council, there WILL be repercussions for taking all these migrants in also, until we squeeze the life out of this Country.