Farmer warns repeat floods threaten food production

Yorkshire arable farmer Richard Bramley fears relentless wet weather and regular flooding will lead to farmers looking at alternatives to the “risky business” of producing food.

Without significant recognition to keep food production viable on increasingly vulnerable productive land, many farmers will be seriously looking at options such as Environmental Land Management (ELM) and private markets including biodiversity net gain.

Mr Bramley’s 200ha arable farm near York has flooded for the sixth time in the past four years. About one-third of the land is under water up to 10ft deep in some areas.