In its latest 1, the CCC makes a worrying assessment that the UK is not appropriately prepared for greater and more regular weather extremes, which is likely to put both homegrown food production and the UK鈥檚 biodiversity at risk.
The National Audit Office 2 report identified a continuous shortfall in Environment Agency flooding maintenance funding, and rural areas felt the devastating impact of this throughout 2024 as farmers were hit by relentless rain in one of the wettest years on record. Even now, many farms affected are still trying to recover from the damage to their land and their businesses.
That is why the NFU is asking the Chancellor in her Spending Review to establish a long-term investment plan to improve the UK鈥檚 failing flooding infrastructure, with funding allocations which recognise rural needs3.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥淭he impact of climate change is clear for all to see. Last year we experienced one of the most challenging growing seasons in living memory with thousands of acres of farmland under water early in the year. Even now, more than 12 months on and during the warmest week of the year so far, farm businesses are still working to recover.
鈥淣ot only does flooding cause significant damage to people鈥檚 properties and livelihoods, it also puts the UK鈥檚 food production at risk. Last year鈥檚 wheat harvest was one of the worst in 20 years. At a time when global food supply chains are far from stable, we have to do what we can to protect and boost homegrown food production.
鈥淩ecovering from flood damage comes at a huge cost to the taxpayer. Climate extremes are not going away and we need to be investing in the maintenance and expansion of our flooding defences now to minimise damage in the future.鈥�
In the previous to the CCC鈥檚 2023 report4, it focused on the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes as the key way to mitigate flood risk for farm businesses.
However, with the sudden closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive earlier this year due to budget limitations, which shut off access to the scheme for thousands of businesses overnight, the NFU is highlighting critical gaps in government policy and funding which urgently need addressing.
Mr Bradshaw added: 鈥淭his is a clear example of where policies and budgets need to be much more joined up, something the CCC also highlights in its report. In 2023 the government said the best way farmers could adapt their businesses to a changing climate was through the SFI scheme, but then this year it shut up shop.
鈥淓verything comes back to sufficient funding. We need an agricultural budget which allows more farm businesses to take these important measures through the SFI, and a nationwide flooding investment plan, which recognises rural needs, to make the UK more resilient to any extreme weather that comes come our way.鈥�