The National Farmers Union is warning that while the UK has £20 billion of flood defence assets in place, too little is being spent on upkeep – and is calling for spending must be increased.

Speaking at ADA’s annual conference which took place in London yesterday, Stuart Roberts, vice president of the NFU, said:

“There is a need for more money to be invested in water, but we also need to be bolder, more innovative and braver with the investments. We need to think big, water is such an important asset, particularly in Britain. We need to be embracing our engineering skills.”

The NFU is also warning that the UK is starting to see breaches of flood embankments, demonstrated by the recent incident at Wainfleet in Lincolnshire and is calling for the situation to be looked at as a matter of urgency.

As prolonged wet weather and flooding continues to seriously impact farming businesses in some parts of the country, the NFU is urging the next government and its agencies to develop long-term strategic plans to mitigate future flood risk and better manage water.

Farmers, particularly across the East Midlands and North East of England, are reporting the worst rainfall in living memory, which has left prime farmland badly affected, and thousands of acres under water. The Met Office says the UK received 109% (138.8 mm) of its average rainfall in October.

The prolonged wet weather has impacted many farmers and growers who are unable to finish harvesting crops, such as maize and potatoes, and expect a severe delay in drilling and sowing winter cereals.

Sugar beet farmers are unable to get machinery on to the wet ground to lift sugar beet while livestock farmers are being forced to bring in livestock earlier than normal, which means higher costs on farm for feed and bedding.

NFU President Minette Batters said:

“The rainfall that some parts of the country have been experiencing over the past few months underlines the vulnerability of farming businesses, the fragility of returns to farmers, their exposure to volatility - ultimately resulting in an impact on their bottom line. It’s why the next government and its agencies need to take water-related issues seriously. Some of our most productive and highest value agricultural land is vulnerable to flooding and deserves to be protected."

“Any future domestic agricultural policy must ensure there are measures in place for farm businesses to manage volatility, particularly in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather.

“We also want to see adequate funding available to enable us to have the right resources to take on the enormous challenge and opportunities of future UK water management. The UK has £20bn of flood defence assets yet too little is being spent on upkeep – this spending must be increased.

“We’re starting to see breaches of flood embankments, just like the recent incident at Wainfleet in Lincolnshire. This needs to be looked at urgently.

“We also need to take full advantage of measures to maintain the conveyance and capacity of our rivers while at the same time seeking a more active role for some farms to trap, store and slow water. Farmers providing flood management services should be properly rewarded where they are a cost-efficient solution.

“The NFU will work with any future government to ensure it takes all the steps necessary to protect productive farmland so farmers can continue to produce a supply of safe, traceable and affordable food for the nation and protect and enhance our rural landscapes.”

On Wednesday the government announced that it will extend its Farming Recovery Fund to support those badly affected by the recent flooding across Yorkshire and the Midlands.

Through the scheme, farmers and land managers who have suffered uninsurable damage to their property will be able to apply for grants of between £500 and £25,000 to cover repair costs – whether clearing debris or recovering damaged land.