Union working to get stakeholders round the table to discuss

NFU Scotland has used a visit to a flood-hit farmer in Perthshire to renew its call for key stakeholders to get round the table and start planning to minimise the impact that flooding is having on farmland around Scotland.

At Easter Rhynd farm, near Bridge of Earn, farmer David Hay has seen centuries-old flood defences on the River Tay breached by strong winds, heavy rain and the highest tidal surges in living memory.  At the farm today (Monday, 3 March), flooding from the peak spring tide saw more than 50 hectares of prime agricultural land disappear under seawater – an event that is repeated with each new tide.  Most of that land has already been planted with wheat and the rest has been ploughed in preparation for planting potatoes later this spring.

The Union now has a number of case studies from around Scotland – Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire, the Borders, Perthshire and the North East – where flooding levels on farmland is undermining production and it is keen to meet again with Scottish Government and SEPA to discuss more robust resilience measures.

Speaking from Easter Rhynd, NFU Scotland President Nigel Miller said:
“Farmland sits low down on the list of priorities when it comes to discussing flood defences but given the risk that flooding now poses for some of our prime agricultural land, its importance must increase if we are to be serious about production and natural resources.

“Investment in rural flood management has been insufficient and farmers need to have the ability to use the complete flood management toolkit, including the removal of silt.  On the Tay and in Dumfries and Galloway, it is clear that engineering flood prevention measures that cater for extreme events is crucial. We must work to ensure that properties, their land and their ability to produce food are not placed at risk.  

“We are hopeful of meeting in the near future with Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse.  We recently facilitated a visit to Dumfries and Galloway where SEPA and Scottish Government officials were shown the damage that flooding has wreaked on farmland in the past few months.

“By the time our meeting with the Minister takes place, we expect to have case studies from many areas around Scotland where flooding is having an impact on farmland and where resilience measures are needed with urgency. The union is also funding an independent expert in flood prevention to work on case studies to assess what defences and engineering may provide solutions to flooding issues.”   

Notes to Editors

• Situated between the River Earn and Tay, Easter Rhynd farm is five metres above sea level, with 88 hectares (ha) of the 1,980 ha arable farm below the high water mark. On January 5, 2014, the River Tay’s banks were breached by one of the highest recorded tides in living memory.  That tidal surge coincided with a period of high rainfall, low atmospheric pressure and strong west winds, driving water downstream from Loch Earn and Loch Tay. Civil engineers have estimated that the 50m by 12m hole in the flood banks will require 7,200 cubic metres of material to restore them to their former shape.
• Around 56 ha of the farm’s best arable land is now under water twice a day when the tide comes in - 30 ha of this is already planted with winter wheat, the remainder is ploughed for potatoes. Repairs to the bank cannot be started until late May, early June, when the tides are lower and hopefully it is drier overhead.
• Anticipated effects of flooding this year include loss of crop and hence income over the whole area, loss of topsoil (estimated 6000 cubic metres), leaching of soil nutrients, debris washed up in fields, increased crop disease risk and weed infestation (couch, wild oats, grass weeds).
• The knock-on effect for future years includes replacing topsoil, increased requirement for nutrients and minerals, repairing drains, and on-going risk of weeds and disease.
• The highest tabular tides of the year on the Tay are scheduled for today (3 March) and tomorrow (4 March) at 5pm when the water level it is expected to rise by 4.7m.

Ends

Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006