Burnam Announced £65 Million in Aid for English Farmers Due to the Drought
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the allocation of £65 million for English farmers affected by the drought. The funds will be used to support producers, facilitate access to water, and build farm reservoirs, according to The Guardian World.
Of the total amount, £50 million will go to the Sustainable Farming Incentive program, under which farmers in England receive payments for nature conservation measures. This will bring the program’s total budget to £290 million. The additional funding is planned to be directed primarily to the areas hardest hit by the drought.
Another £15 million is earmarked to support the construction of on-farm reservoirs to ensure water supplies for future dry summers. Officials noted that these funds were reallocated from existing budgets. Gavin Lane, president of the Country Land and Business Association, stated that the amount will cover only a portion of the need for such facilities, and the bulk of the construction costs will continue to fall on farmers.
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The government also promised to simplify procedures for farmers to access water and expedite the issuance of licenses so they can use it where it is most needed. Farmers who receive payments for maintaining natural areas—and who are typically not allowed to mow grass or graze livestock until a later date—will be permitted to do so in the event of a water shortage without losing their payments.
Bernham chaired a meeting of the government’s Cobra committee this week, focusing on the intense heat, wildfires, and drought. He noted that this is the third drought in five years and that farmers should not have to bear the risks associated with climate change on their own. Officials also announced support for nine new reservoirs currently in the planning stages.
