No money for Durham farmers, Defra tells floods victim
A farmer whose land was flooded three times in December has hit out after Defra officials told him he could not claim compensation for any damage.
County Durham-based farmer Brett Forrest said the River Wear burst its banks and left parts of his fields at Stanners Farm, in Page Bank, near Spennymoor, swamped under 5ft of muddy floodwater on two occasions last month.
See also: Farm floods – Guide to practical and financial support
He lost 130 big round bales of haylage, worth about £3,250, after water levels rose and surrounded a large haystack on 26 December. The damaged bales are only good enough to be used as bedding for livestock.
Pedigree Saler bull Rigel Mansfield asking to come back inside after the first flood. Photo by Joanne Forrest.
His herd of pedigree Saler suckler cows knocked down part of a block brick wall after the animals panicked and fled a hayshed as floodwater poured into the building.
The government has launched a Farming Recovery Fund (FRF) to compensate flood-hit farmers in northern England for their losses, offering a maximum payment of £20,000 per individual farm business.
But according to Defra guidance, the fund does not extend to cover flood-hit farms in County Durham.
The Defra website states: “The Farming Recovery Fund provides money to help farmers in Cumbria, Northumberland, Lancashire and Yorkshire whose agricultural land has been affected by the flooding which took place in December 2015.”
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is aware of Mr Forrest’s case and is looking into it “as a matter of urgency”.
A Defra spokesman said: “The fund is there to help farmers whose land has been damaged by the recent floods. We will pay out on all eligible claims.”
Mr Forrest said he borrowed pumping equipment from a neighbour to help drain of 5.6ha of wheat and 16ha of grassland.
However, three weeks on from the floods, he still cannot get on to large parts of his wheat fields and grasslands to assess the damage because water levels are still too high.
Up to Wednesday (13 January), 5ha of wheat and 3.2-4ha of grass remained under water at the 123ha mixed farm.
Mr Forrest, who has not yet received his single farm payment, said his current insurance policy does not cover him for flood losses. His farm was flooded about six years ago and as a result, insurers will not cover him for any flood risk.
But after reading Farmers Weekly he decided to call the rural services helpline to see if he was eligible to apply for grant money under its Farm Recovery Fund.
Photo by Joanne Forrest
Photo by Joanne Forrest
“I called the rural services helpline and told them all about my situation, but I was told: ‘Sorry, there is no help for you. There is nothing for the Durham farmer’,” said Mr Forrest.
“A lady at the RPA told me: ‘We have not been instructed to give you any help at this time.’
“I replied: ‘So, my farm was under 3-5ft of water and that doesn’t warrant any help?’ She said: ‘No. The Durham farmer has not been hit that bad.’”
Photo by Joanne Forrest
Photo by Joanne Forrest
Mr Forrest added: “Someone needs to speak up for the Durham farmer. We are the forgotten area. It has always been the case here.
“If the river had been dredged, it would have taken water levels down by a couple of feet and maybe we would not have been in this mess in the first place.”
He said work to reinstate the riverbanks on his farm was also needed due to subsidence caused by the floods along the River Wear.
Photo by Joanne Forrest
Photo by Joanne Forrest
The recent flooding also left 24ha of wheat under water at Mr Forrest’s neighbouring farm, run by Andrew Morally.
Mr Morally said he was unaware of the Defra support for flood-hit farmers, but agreed with Mr Forrest that the grants should cover flood-ravaged farms in his county.