Assistance for flooding affected farmers

Widespread flooding has affected many farmers across the country, predominately in Yorkshire and areas of the East Midlands. Heavy rainfall has impacted farming at a crucial time, obstructing drilling for arable farmers, vegetable growers from harvesting, and livestock farmers have been faced with considering bringing their animals in earlier than intended.

Farming Recovery Fund extended

The government announced on Wednesday 13th November it will extend its Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers that have been badly affected by the recent flooding across Yorkshire and the Midlands. Through this scheme, farmers and land managers who've suffered uninsurable damage to their property will be able to apply for grants of between £500 and £25,000 to cover repair costs – whether that’s to help with clearing debris or recover damaged land. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) also confirmed yesterday that funding would be made available for a Business Recovery Grant which will provide up to £2,500 per eligible small and medium-sized business that have suffered severe impacts from the floods that cannot be recovered from insurance.

Unable to source organic forage?

We'd like to remind all our farmers that should you be faced with shortages of organic forage, both from your own holding and unable to source any organic forage, please contact your Certification Officer as soon as possible and we can discuss submitting a derogation to DEFRA to allow you to feed your organic stock non-organic forage under these exceptional circumstances. Please be aware that certain milk buyers may also required notification of this derogation, if used.