A £2.7MILLION support scheme for farmers impacted by the 2017 flooding in the North West of Northern Ireland is now open for applications.

Farmers who applied for a Force Majeure when their businesses were impacted by severe flooding and landslides on 22 and 23 August 2017 can now apply for the one-off financial payment, capped at £106,323 per farm business.

The North West 2017 Flooding Income Support Scheme, which is worth almost £2.7million, is a time limited and will close on August 12, 2021. It was officially opened by Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots, who said: “The extreme flooding event meant that the farming and wider rural communities in the North West experienced significant hardship. Farm businesses lost income due to the impact on their land and the cost of removing debris and silt, as well as reseeding to restore it back to productive use.

“I would urge all eligible businesses to make sure their application is submitted as soon as possible.”

Eligible farm businesses will receive a letter inviting them to apply for the support package, with instructions on how to access the application form and receive help to complete it.

Further information on the scheme can be found on the DAERA website www.daera-ni.gov.uk