Farmers whose entire fields were submerged in water found themselves ineligible for the government’s Flood Hardship Fund because their farms were too far from major rivers.
The Met Office said 1,695.9mm of rain fell between October 2022 and March 2024, the most in any 18-month period in England since the agency began collecting comparable data in 1836. . Scientists say climate change is likely to lead to heavier rains. Rainy season in England.
Farming organizations announced earlier this week that food production had fallen in the UK because so much farmland was submerged after the floods.
The government launched the Agricultural Recovery Fund scheme this week. Under the scheme, eligible farmers can receive grants of between £500 and £25,000 to restore their land to the condition it was in before January’s unusual flooding caused by Storm Genk.
However, farmers said their funding applications were rejected because they did not meet criteria, such as being located near designated major rivers.
John Charles Jones is a arable farmer based in Nottinghamshire. He said the nearest river is about 9 kilometers away and he is not eligible for the fund. Since Storm Babette in October, his farm has only been able to plant about 10% of its crop because it has been flooded and most of the topsoil has been washed away, making planting impossible.
He planted a third of his planned crops before the fall rains, but losses are expected to reach six figures as only 10 to 15 percent of the crops planted will grow.
Charles Jones pointed out that Agriculture Minister Mark Spencer, who himself comes from a farming background in Nottinghamshire, one of the worst-hit counties, had been prevented from taking part in the fund.
“The eligibility criteria for recipients is completely flawed,” he said. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a reckless plan. It’s hard to know where to start when it comes to tearing everything apart. For the first time, I had great hope that Agriculture Minister Mark Spencer actually lives and farms in one of the hardest hit counties. ”
Andrew Naish, also from Nottinghamshire, said he had faced the same problem. “Technically there are grants available, but it seems like you have to have walked on the moon to qualify,” he says. “Like many farmers, we have suffered flooding and significant financial losses this winter, but we do not meet the billing threshold because the government has set standards that are impossible to achieve.”
Henry Ward, a arable farmer based in Shortferry, east of Lincoln, is perhaps one of the most well-known growers affected by the recent floods. His farm, which is completely underwater and sits on an island in the middle of murky water, has been shown on news programs for the past few months.
Even though his farm had been under water for six months, his application for a hardship fund was refused. This is because his nearby river, the Burlings O, is not counted as a major river in the scheme. Mr Ward told the BBC: I’m sure everyone is as tired of seeing pictures on the news as I am, but our farmhouse and garden is literally an island in the middle of our 500-acre property. [202-hectare] lake. “
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Mr Ward said his losses were around £100,000 and he was entitled to claim £3,000 for a small piece of land away from his main farm near the River Witham, but he could not claim the money towards the main farm. He was responsible for most of his losses.
Rachel Harross, vice president of the National Farmers’ Union, said: “There are major problems with the newly announced agricultural recovery fund, which aims to support farmers devastated by Storm Genk in January. “It became obvious right away,” he said.
“We have heard from many of our members who have been devastated that they have been told that some of their affected areas are more than 150 meters from a ‘main’ river and therefore are not eligible for funding. . These include members who had 90% of their land saturated or submerged, causing significant damage to buildings and equipment.
“We are taking this matter up urgently with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. I cannot believe that this is what ministers intended when they launched the fund. This is a welcome gesture of goodwill. It seems like there has been a fundamental oversight in the details. The weather effects go far beyond Storm Genk, which could have been a good start, but as things stand, it doesn’t work. plug.”
Mr Defra has been contacted for comment.
