‘More severe and frequent’ – Farmers braced for further flooding across South East
Farmers across the South East are braced for further flooding over the coming days, with no let up after weeks of heavy rainfall.
Dozens of flood alerts and warnings have been in place across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Thames Valley, according to the Environment Agency.
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), a membership organisation that represents farmers and rural businesses, has warned of the impact on the region’s farms.
Tim Bamford, regional director of the CLA, said: “Flooding is becoming more severe and frequent.
“Climate change, lack of sustainable drainage in urban areas, lack of funding to maintain river and flood-defence assets, peat degradation, and poor soil health on farmland are all contributing to greater flooding issues.
“Farmers’ land provides a valuable service when it floods by mitigating the severity of flooding for downstream communities and businesses.
“Many are willing to store floodwater on their land as long as they receive payment that covers their costs and lost income.
“While flooding cannot be wholly prevented, improving resilience is critical.”
According to Defra-commissioned research, winter floods cost farmers an average of £480 per hectare.
Costs to arable and horticultural businesses may be two to four times higher respectively.