Farmers in Ballymena may be experiencing floods on their farms. Farm land can flood due to the heavy rain which we have been experiencing this week.
DAERA have issued a bulletin containing advice for any farms that are experiencing extreme flooding.
Flood Advice for Farms
To support that work the department has issued a detailed technical bulletin to assist farmers working to reinstate their land.
Photo by Ales Krivec on Unsplash
Before carrying out any work in affected areas farmers must take extra precautions to keep themselves, their family and anyone else working on the farm safe.
Only carry out operations when ground conditions are suitably dry to carry machinery and equipment. Travelling on wet fields is more likely to cause long term damage.
To assess the full booklet please click the link below:
Download the Extreme Flooding Event 22/23 August 2017 – Technical Bulletin.
To help farmers and landowners, NIEA has highlighted the following advice and support:
Farm waste
- With much farmland covered in flooding debris including forage, soil and stones farmers can move this within their land without the need for a waste authorisation.
- If the material is to be moved off a holding, it becomes waste and there may be other requirements a landowner needs to consider. Advice or support on these matters can be obtained by calling NIEA on 028 9056 9360. NIEA have officers on standby to provide local, practical advice where feasible.
Preventing water pollution
- The extreme weather and flooding may have resulted in some slurry tanks overflowing and causing pollution to a watercourse. This will be taken into account by NIEA if such a pollution incident is reported to them for investigation.
- Farmers are expected to take all possible steps to prevent any ongoing pollution to a watercourse. For advice, contact DAERA Countryside Management Branch on 0300 200 7842.
- NIEA have no significant concerns about fallen animals and environmental pollution, provided DAERA’s advice on fallen animals is followed.
For more information about extreme flooding on farm land please click here.