Farming Recovery Fund Unveiled to Aid Flooded Farmers

Highlights

• The government has introduced the Farming Recovery Fund to aid farmers affected by recent flooding, offering grants of £500 to £25,000 for uninsurable damage.
• Eligible farmers in areas heavily impacted by flooding are being contacted directly by the Rural Payments Agency to provide guidance on accessing support.
• The initiative forms part of the broader Flood Recovery Framework, initially targeting local authority areas worst hit by the recent deluge.
• NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos highlights the severe strain on UK farm businesses due to unprecedented rainfall, warning of potential supply chain disruptions and personal hardships for farmers.

In a bid to alleviate the plight of farmers ravaged by recent flooding, the government has launched the Farming Recovery Fund, offering essential support to those grappling with the aftermath of Storm Henk.

Amidst the devastation wreaked by this winter’s deluge, the Farming Recovery Fund emerges as a beacon of hope for farmers grappling with uninsurable damage to their land. Under this initiative, farmers will have access to grants ranging from £500 to £25,000, aimed at restoring their land to its pre-flood condition.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is actively reaching out to eligible farmers, providing comprehensive guidance on how to access the support offered through the fund and navigate the claims process.

This initiative is part of the broader Flood Recovery Framework, designed to extend assistance to councils and communities grappling with the aftermath of severe flooding.

With a focus on aiding areas worst hit by the recent deluge, the Farming Recovery Fund is initially rolling out in local authority areas already activated under the Flood Recovery Framework.

These include Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, West Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire.

While the fund’s current scope targets areas with the most significant agricultural impact, additional counties are under review for potential inclusion. These include Berkshire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Derbyshire.

Commenting on the launch of the Farming Recovery Fund, Farming Minister Mark Spencer expressed empathy for the hardships faced by farmers in the wake of extreme weather events.

He emphasised the fund’s role in offering tangible support to those grappling with the aftermath of Storm Henk, providing grants of up to £25,000 to address uninsurable damage.

The relentless onslaught of heavy rain since October 2023 has left vast expanses of agricultural land waterlogged, rendering them unfit for planting crops and subjecting livestock to adverse conditions.

Arable farmers, in particular, have borne the brunt of these challenges, with crops lost and planting efforts thwarted by saturated soil.

Moreover, livestock farmers are contending with alarming attrition rates among spring-born lambs, exacerbating the already dire situation facing the agricultural community.

Responding to the unveiling of the Farming Recovery Fund, NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos underscored the severity of the crisis unfolding within the farming sector.

She highlighted the immense pressure faced by UK farm businesses in the wake of relentless rainfall, coupled with soaring input costs.

Hallos emphasised the far-reaching implications of the extreme weather on both the financial stability and personal well-being of NFU members, warning of potential repercussions for consumers as the ripple effects of the crisis permeate the supply chain.

As farmers grapple with the fallout of Storm Henk and the ongoing challenges posed by inclement weather, the launch of the Farming Recovery Fund offers a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape.

With government support and community resilience, the agricultural sector is poised to weather the storm and emerge stronger in the face of adversity.

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