The government has confirmed that the long-awaited flooding payments will start to land in farmers' bank accounts in a few days time.
From Thursday 21 November, eligible farmers will receive Farming Recovery Fund payments ranging from £2,895 - £25,000 to help them recover.
Defra said around 13,000 farmers were impacted by severe wet weather, including Storms Henk and Babet, between October and March last year.
These one-off payments will support land recovery measures, such as soil remediation, recultivation and the removal of any debris caused by flooding.
Farmers have until Monday (18 November) to inform the Rural Payment Agency (RPA) of any changes in circumstances before payments begin.
Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said he had asked for these payments "to land with farmers affected by the severe wet weather last winter as quickly as possible."
Responding, NFU vice president Rachel Hallos said they would come as a 'huge relief' to those farmers impacted by the wettest 18 months since records began.
She said: "Although the original cohort of eligible farmers affected were issued a payment, it has been deeply frustrating that many are yet to receive any support.
“Relentless rain and devastating floods have rendered thousands of acres of farmland completely saturated and unusable, and this year’s incredibly difficult harvest saw huge variations in yield and quality.
"Payments through the Farming Recovery Fund are urgently needed to support those farmers impacted and help them recover."
Ms Hallos said the extreme weather events demonstrated that farmers 'cannot keep getting stuck in this cycle', and that water management systems must be invested in.
"The Farming Recovery Fund is one part, but we need a long-term plan for how we protect our towns and countryside from what is becoming more regular, and expensive, flooding events.”
What is the eligibility?
Eligible farmers will receive an email or letter from the RPA with details of the area of land considered to be eligible for the recovery payment based on one or both of the eligibility criteria:
• Flooding from rivers
Data from the Environment Agency was used to track high river levels during Storm Babet (19–25 October 2023) and Storm Henk (2–12 January 2024). Satellite imagery was used to confirm the land where the river flooding impacts were most severe.
• Exceptional rainfall
Rainfall data from the Met Office identified local authority areas in England where at least half of the area experienced exceptional rainfall (more than 70% above the 30-year average rainfall) from October 2023 to March 2024.
Defra said farmers whose land is engineered as a flood storage area are not eligible for recovery payments.
