Farmers and growers affected by recent flooding caused by Storm Henk and other heavy rainfall events could be eligible for Flood Recovery Grants of up to £25,000. The funding is provided in exceptional circumstances to help councils and others following severe flooding.
According to sources, farmers who have been adversely affected by flooding and suffered uninsurable damage to their land will be able to apply for the funding to go towards repair and reinstatement costs.
The NFU stated, ‘As was the case with Storm Babet, farmers should also be eligible for up to £2,500 from the Business Recovery Grant to help them return quickly to business as usual and up to £5,000 from the Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme to help make their homes and businesses more resilient to future flooding. Farmers affected by both storms will be eligible for this funding. As with the Farming Recovery Fund, we await more details on the grants.’
NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw welcomed the funding but warned that the NFU needed to check the details carefully. “Thousands of acres of productive farmland are still under water and many crops are not going to survive the winter with the huge financial stress and misery that brings.
“Many areas of the country are continuing to experience devastating floods and our thoughts are with those communities affected. “Thousands of acres of productive farmland are still under water and many crops are not going to survive the winter with the huge financial stress and misery that brings.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation and supporting our members via our network of contacts in the Environment Agency and local authorities.”
Defra Secretary Steve Barclay said, “45,000 properties are already protected thanks to our flood defences, and I would like to pay tribute to the work of Environment Agency teams, first responders, and others.
“For those who have sadly been affected, our Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme will soon be open to help residents protect their property in the future, while our Farming Recovery Fund will support farmers who have suffered damage as they work to put food on our tables.”
Following Storm Henk earlier this month, the Environment Agency estimated that more than 1,800 properties had been flooded.
In Northern Ireland Ulster Farmers’ Union President David Brown has urged the devolved government to provide financial aid for flood affected farmers. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has agreed to evaluate the feasibility of providing flood aid to farm businesses, but such aid is not guaranteed.