Archived News

11th February 2014

Flood stricken farms; what can we do to help?

I spoke to Robert Venner at Sedgemoor Market over the weekend and he said that livestock from six farms had already been evacuated from the flood stricken Somerset Levels but the fodder and straw remained on the farms; under water.

Neighbouring livestock farmers need buildings for their own livestock, but enough dry housing was found for some 800 cattle generally on farms that had previously gone out of livestock.

The farming community is rallying around farmers in the south west region with offers of assistance coming from near and far.  Of course people and property need to be saved, but livestock cannot be left to drown.

The NFU south west office are co-ordinating offers of feed, bedding and haulage to get everything down to the SW: south.west@nfu.org.uk

Forage can also be dropped off at Sedgemoor Livestock Market, off J24 of the M5, postcode TA6 6DF. Call 01278 410278 to arrange a delivery time. 

If you would like to help in some way but don’t have fodder or bedding, then I understand that other items such as warm clothing or wellington boots can be donated to the Red Cross: 01823 273700

Naturally The Red Cross in any region would take donations especially as we see what's happening to residents along the Thames.

Alternatively donations can be made at either of these charities, both of which have very interesting websites worthy of a read: 

Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute;  http://www.rabi.org.uk/ 

Farm Crisis Network; http://www.fcn.org.uk/

As mentioned by NFU Chairman Peter Kendall, the flooding ‘is not just a Somerset issue’.

The Thames has broken its banks in Oxfordshire and Surrey and although it has no tidal surge, water is rising rapidly; homes and farmland have also flooded in Kent.

The longer term problems will be that grass and crops will die if submerged for 21 days and even once the water has gone the ground will be rancid.

Mr Kendall said  'If they get a deluge again in the south west this will have a real impact.  Some farmers will not have the cash flow or ability to survive.  I was talking to a lady yesterday, she said banks were already on her case’.