Farmers can play a part in flood defence
The National Sheep Association (NSA) is calling for a holistic and balanced approach to flood mitigation '“ and one that involves the sheep industry rather than pointing the finger at a vital part of the land management jigsaw.
NSA has welcomed the acknowledgement by Liz Truss, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, that solutions must be guided strongly by local knowledge.
It says that decentralised decision-making will allow farmers, working with others in their catchment area, to use good, practical knowledge to identify the right options and manage their own land in terms of dredging ditches and clearing debris. NSA also has no objection to the holding back of flood water in upper reaches of catchment areas, if farmers are sufficiently compensated.