Farmers must be defended when it comes to flooding, and should receive higher priority regarding flood management and planning, South Down MP Margaret Ritchie (SDLP) said.
Ms Ritchie was speaking after the launch of an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report into Winter Floods. Recognising the adverse impact of flooding on people and their homes, Ms Ritchie said the impact of flooding on farmers and their livelihoods must also be given priority.
“Winter 2013 saw extreme floods occur across these islands. These deluges strip the land of nutrients resulting in damage to farmland and farm products. In extreme cases, flooding can lead to livestock being lost, which is devastating for farmers,” said Ms Ritchie, a member of the EFRA committee.
“It is vital that clearer prevention measures and management plans are put in place, which is what the report highlights – the importance of dredging and watercourse maintenance as a prevention measure, the need for extra funding in terms of flood management, the recognition of the severe impact flooding has on agriculture, and the provision of greater support for those affected.
“Farmers must be given higher priority in terms of flood maintenance as their livelihoods and, indeed, the entire industry will be at stake as future and more extreme weather patterns unfold.
“Agriculture is the bedrock of the economy in Northern Ireland and it is essential to put safeguards in place to protect it in the face of a changing climate.”
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