CLA welcomes flood payments but warns that improvements must be made

Photo: Su Williams

CLA welcomes flood payments but warns that improvements must be made

The CLA in the North has welcomed news that over £1million has been paid out by the Government to flood-hit farmers but says that improvements to the Farming Recovery Fund need to be made.

Responding to the announcement from Farming Minister George Eustice, CLA North Rural Adviser Libby Bateman said: “The Farming Recovery Fund has provided vital support to farmers in our region affected by last winter’s severe storms and extreme flooding.

“It has helped them repair damage, get their businesses back up and running and increase their resilience for the future. We will keep working closely with applicants and with the RPA to ensure payments still to be made are paid as smoothly and swiftly as possible.”

Mrs Bateman said similar recovery funds will be crucial in response to extreme weather in the future but called for issues with the existing Farming Recovery Fund need to be resolved.

She added: “The priority is to create greater flexibility in the timings for carrying out work. Delays in issuing farmers and landowners with letters of approval for remedial work have meant that some have had to carry out time-critical repairs at the risk of not getting reimbursed. Coupled with delayed BPS payments, this has put a great deal of additional pressure on farm finances.”

“There have also been issues with river bank work and a lack of consistency in advice from the Environment Agency, which is bound by licence conditions that have been unworkable in these extreme circumstances.”