Somerset Farmers increasingly concerned by continued flood risks

Flooding across the region brings disruption to traveling around the county, but for farmers flooding can kill livestock. Poultry owners should be concerned about flooding not just because of the water rise itself but because the floods bring with them the increased threat of disease.

Flooding events can pose a significant threat to livestock by increasing their susceptibility towards Salmonella infections. The presence of standing water serves as an ideal breeding ground for disease-causing bacteria and viruses which makes it easy for domestic poultry to come into contact with contaminated drinking sources during flooded conditions when drainage systems are overwhelmed or compromised. This puts these animals at high risk of developing illnesses that could have serious consequences on both human health and agricultural productivity levels. Therefore, taking proactive measures such as implementing effective sanitation protocols is crucial in preventing outbreaks from occurring within farming communities.

The aftermath of these events has left insurers struggling to determine the full extent of damage inflicted upon homes and businesses. However one thing is certain: farms across our nation will be facing a hefty bill that runs into millions.

There are further demands that the UK government strengthen its commitment to UK food security with firm action on water management. And fears of how this impacts farmers are shared across many industry groups, as they echo these concerns.

Regional Director of the Country Land and Business Association, Tim Bamford said: “Flooding can have a massive impact on farming and the countryside, with crops damaged and rural communities often cut off.

“Farmers want to provide solutions to the climate crisis. But until the Government steps in to tackle planning delays and offer full and proper compensation to those storing floodwater, farmers will continue paying the price for problems they didn’t create.”

Julian Sparrey, Livetec’s Technical Director, said that in preparing for heavy rainfall: “Any pool of water has the potential to carry viruses. Building maintenance is paramount. It's crucial to ensure that your structure is truly watertight, particularly in the vicinity of roof fans, as water infiltration can occur there, and ensuring that water cannot gain access through the walls and under cracks in doors.

One way to check your vulnerabilities to flooding is looking at areas where water pools, looking for moss on concrete and on the sides of sheds and ensuring you have measures in place to prevent flooding in these areas.”

Biosecurity processes must also be followed too, according to Sparrey: “It is also critical to ensure that anyone entering sheds changes wet boots before entering a shed to prevent the introduction of rainwater. Taking extra biosecurity measures where there is a risk of flooding will be critical to preventing disease ingress through water."

In Somerset it is imperative that we all remain alert to the threat of flooding both nationally and locally. Farmers must also be aware of the diseases that can be carried in the flood water and that it can have a devastating impact, long after the floods have receded. With the risk of flooding increasing the best way to protect yourself is to plan ahead and be prepared.

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