FINANCIAL SUPPORT is now available for farmers who have been affected by the severe flooding which has paralysed parts of the UK.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is offering financial grants through their Farming Recovery Scheme and NatWest bank has mobilised its agricultural team to offer short-term and long-term individual financial solutions to any customers who have been impacted.

Defra is extending their Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers affected by the floods in Yorkshire and the Midlands and through the scheme, farmers who have suffered uninsurable damage to their property will be able to apply for grants of between £500 and £25,000 to cover repair costs – whether that’s clearing debris or recovering damaged land.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said: “My thoughts go out to all those affected by the devastating flooding across Yorkshire and the Midlands. We are providing more funding to support farmers impacted and help local communities get back on their feet.

“Earlier this week I visited Environment Agency teams on the ground in South Yorkshire as they work around the clock to reduce flooding risks and keep people safe,” she continued.

“I would like to pay tribute to the dedication of these staff, alongside our Emergency Services and Armed Forces, who are working day and night to protect our farmers, local communities and businesses.”

Since the flooding began last Thursday, approximately 14,400 properties have been protected by flood defences, including nearly 5,000 properties in South Yorkshire alone. Over 300 Environment Agency staff are now on the ground in South Yorkshire supporting local communities affected.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) also confirmed that funding would be made available for a Business Recovery Grant which will provide up to £2,500 per eligible small and medium-sized businesses which have suffered severe impacts from the floods that cannot be recovered from insurance.

Director of Agriculture at NatWest, Roddy McLean issued a message to any customers impacted by the flooding: “The dramatic weather has ruined many people’s homes, belongings and of course businesses. Buildings will need to be repaired, as will agricultural machinery – we have the knowledge of the sector and the financial backing to help people navigate this difficult time. We are able to respond quickly to any issues faced and here to support customers through this difficult period now and into the future.”

With farmers struggling to access saturated ground, many are choosing to accept that their crops are unsalvageable, which could have a short-term impact on the bottom line of their business with nothing to sell.

However, NatWest is keen to raise awareness of the long-term impacts the flooding might have. Mr McLean continued: “The disruption to the cropping rotation can be significant if plantings have to move to the spring meaning rotations will not be back to normal for almost two years. This is why we encourage customers to discuss the impact on their own individual business with their manager to establish if it might be appropriate to consider altering the bank facilities currently in place,” he concluded.