Farms deserve flood protection

IF food production is taken out of the Yorkshire Wolds, this under-valued area of the region will have even fewer jobs to sustain the area in these challenging times.

Yet this could be the consequence of the Environment Agency's decision to leave great swathes of farmland at the mercy of the elements if it closes three water pumping stations along the River Hull.

It is one of the most short-sighted decisions that has been taken in the current round of spending cuts, and it must be reversed before farmers, and the wider food industry, suffer untold damage.

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Of course, the downturn means difficult decisions are having to be taken – and no-one is calling for farming to be exempted from this painful process.

However, as the farming fraternity gathers at the Great Yorkshire Show, it is apparent that the Environment Agency needs reminding of some fundamental facts.

It is only three years since crops were destroyed on a monumental scale during the unprecedented summer floods of 2007, with Hull and surrounding villages one of the worst affected areas.

These floods were exacerbated by the river breaking its banks – an occurrence that is likely to become even more frequent if the pumping stations are closed.

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And while, understandably, priority has to be given to urban areas, the land in question involves more than 5,500 hectares of prime arable land that is an intrinsic part of the Yorkshire food chain.

Yet, too often, organisations like the Environment Agency appear to be using the spending cuts as an excuse to dramatically scale back their activities.

This should not be the case. They still have to fulfil their public interest criteria. And, rather than leaving taxpayers to suffer the consequences, these officials need to be proactive in coming up with solutions – as intimated by Thirsk and Malton MP Anne McIntosh, chairman of Parliament's environment, food and rural affairs select committee, on the opposite page.

Every expert believes flooding will become an even more frequent occurrence in the future – and it would be helpful if the Environment Agency recognised this reality too.