Unclear if Crowland, Cowbit and Tongue End farmers will get share of Defra compensation for Storm Henk damage

Farmers whose fields have been underwater for months could be missing out on the thousands of pounds of Government compensation due to red tape.

The Farming Recovery Fund was announced by DEFRA last week – but it is not currently not clear if farmers in Crowland, Cowbit and the Bourne area will be getting a share of this vital support.

The Government is offering grants of between £500 and £25,000 to eligible farmers – providing they meet the raft of conditions - whose land was flooded as a result of Storm Henk.

The River Welland is mentioned as an eligible river but the compensation fund does have a caveat that money will not be paid out to those whose land is ‘on a designated flood storage area’.

Farm land around the Cowbit and Crowland Washes has been covered in flood water for months after a bank of the River Welland, which is managed by the Environment Agency, ruptured in January.

Agricultural land on the South Fen Road, near Tongue End, was also flooded in January thanks to a ruptured bank of the Bourne Eau, another EA maintained river.

There are also stipulations surrounding how close to the river the farm land is.

Gabriella Gregory, NFU county adviser, said: “Farmers in this area are under pressure personally and financially and we are doing all we can for them given the current difficulties.

“Defra’s Farming Recovery Fund, launched last week, offers some farm businesses support and Ministers have taken a decision to keep eligibility for other affected areas open – Spalding area farmers and growers are calling out for that support as they are not currently included.

“We continue to talk to government about the details of the scheme and urge them to consider long-term support for farmers to prepare, adapt and recover from the impacts of chronic rainfall and waterlogged ground, which isn’t addressed by the fund.

“There are multiple priorities and challenges ahead and the NFU’s recently launched manifesto, as we gear up for a General Election, makes it clear we need a commitment on domestic food production and security, with our farm businesses supported to invest and grow for the benefit of everyone. That includes support at times when we are facing extreme weather on the back of spiralling costs and other serious business challenges, farmers and growers are resilient but that only goes so far and it is exceptionally tough at the moment.”

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