Flood affected farmers are urged to submit applications as soon as possible before the deadline of 1st April 2016.
Farming Minister George Eustice has urged farmers wanting support to restore farmland damaged by December’s storms to get their applications in as soon as possible before the 1 April deadline in order to access vital funds sooner.
All Farmers in Cumbria, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham or Northumberland who have suffered losses as a result of flooding caused by Storm Desmond or Storm Eva are eligible to apply for support grants of up to £20,000. Farmers suffering from uninsurable losses can apply for Farming Recovery Fund grants via the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to help restore farmland, rebuild tracks and repair drains and reinstate boundaries. Once all checks are completed, the RPA can approve an application and farmers can claim. Payments against valid claims will be paid directly into bank accounts within 5 working days.
This fund covers a range of restoration and repair works including:-
. the restoration of productive stock-proof grassland
. the restoration of productive arable and horticultural land
. the restoration of field access or track ways, fencing or gates or water troughs
. the restoration of drainage on flood-damaged holdings
. damage to agricultural machinery that cannot be insured
. damage to agricultural buildings that cannot be insured.
This information has been provided by Collette Taylor, Health Protection Service Delivery Manager, Emergency Planning & Resilience Service at Lancashire County Council. She can be contacted on Collette.Taylor@Lancashire.gov.uk or Tel. 01772 537338.