A £2 million fund has now opened as part of government support to help those farmers who suffered uninsurable damage following recent extreme flooding.
Farm businesses, particularly across South Yorkshire, the Midlands and Gloucestershire reported the worst rainfall in living memory in November last year.
In Lincolnshire, the floods drowned more than 1,000 acres of farmland and many businesses were left unable to work after becoming cut off and stranded.
Now support is available for farmers through the recently announced Farming Recovery Fund.
The £2 million fund will support farmers who suffered uninsurable damage to their property in the devastating floods, and applications have opened today (6 January).
The fund is open for applications from farmers with affected land in parts of South Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and the Midlands.
Affected farmers in these areas are being encouraged to check online to see if they are eligible to claim.
Farmers can apply for grants between £500 and £25,000 to cover a number of repair costs, including removing debris, re-cultivation and replacing damaged field gates.
Defra Secretary Theresa Villiers said: “I saw first-hand the impacts of this devastating flooding myself when visiting farmers in Lincolnshire in November.
“I am delighted we’ve been able to extend our Farming Recovery Fund to cover farmers in parts of South Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and the Midlands who were hit with unprecedented weather last year.
“This scheme, coupled with the other measures we’ve announced, will help farmers get back on their feet.”
The Farming Recovery Fund first opened in September 2019 with £2 million available to support farmers affected by flooding in North Yorkshire and Wainfleet in Lincolnshire over the summer.
Today’s announcement brings the total funding available this year up to £4 million.
How to apply for funding
The application window for flood affected farmers in North Yorkshire and Wainfleet in Lincolnshire which opened in September closes on 31 March 2020.
The window for today's extension of the fund will close on 31 July 2020, but farmers are encouraged to submit their applications when they are able.
A handbook has been published on gov.uk with full details of which areas are eligible, what is covered and how to apply for funding.
Farmers who have already repaired damage caused by the flooding should keep records of all relevant evidence, including receipts and before and after photos, in order to help the Rural Payment Agency process eligible applications promptly.
