Lincolnshire farmers can now claim government help for uninsurable losses caused to their land by flood damage.
The help comes from the Farming Recovery Fund, under which eligible farmers can get grants of between £500 and £25,000 to return their land to the condition it was in before exceptional flooding due to Storm Henk.
Eligible farmers are being contacted directly by Rural Payments Agency outlining the support available to them through the Farming Recovery Fund and how they can make a claim.
The fund forms part of a broader scheme called the Flood Recovery Framework which is activated in exceptional circumstances to support councils and communities following severe flooding.
The fund will initially be open in those local authority areas where the Flood Recovery Framework has already been activated to help farms which have experienced the highest levels of flooding. As well as Lincolnshire, farmers in Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, West Northamptonshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire are able to apply.
Farming Minster Mark Spencer said: “I know how difficult this winter has been for farmers, with extreme weather such as Storm Henk having a devastating impact on both cropping and grazing, as well as damaging property and equipment.
“The Farming Recovery Fund will support farmers who suffered uninsurable damage with grants of up to £25,000, and sits alongside broader support in our farming schemes to improve flood resilience.”
