Flower growers call for national water-storage programme

Small-scale flower farmers are calling on the UK government to urgently action a national agricultural water-storage programme after a summer they describe as “frightening”.

Flower farming at a micro scale is worth £33.6m a year to the UK economy but with nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales in drought plants have been dying in fields and polytunnels.

With many growers not having access to reliable sources of irrigation, nearly 140 have signed an open letter written by Herefordshire grower Kelly Munford which calls on the government to action a series of measures to build resilience to weather extremes.

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Ms Munford, who runs Wye Grow, says a “much more serious response” is needed to the climate pressures already affecting small agricultural businesses.

“People are reporting prolonged heat, lack of rainfall, crop losses, increased irrigation costs and serious concern about whether their businesses can remain viable if recent conditions become the norm,” she told Farmers Weekly.

They want practical action including greater investment in water storage and resilience, and stronger support for British-grown produce.

“These growers are actively trying to replace imported flowers with locally grown British produce, but many feel they are being asked to adapt to rapidly changing conditions largely on their own,” said Ms Munford.

Rainwater harvesting

Together with investment in a national agricultural water-storage programme, the growers are seeking “meaningful grants” to help pay for reservoirs, rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation and climate adaptation funding for small farms and horticultural businesses.

Planning for agricultural reservoirs should be simpler with neighbouring farms supported to develop shared water-storage schemes.

© Wye Grow/Facebook

The government is also being asked to introduce public procurement policies that actively support British producers and for country-of-origin labelling for cut flowers and plants.

Ms Munford says she is not asking the government to protect businesses from every difficult year.

“Farming has never worked like that, I am asking the government to give businesses willing to invest, adapt, work and produce in Britain the infrastructure and policy environment that gives them a fighting chance.”

“Because, if another decade passes before we take these issues seriously, the question may no longer be how we help British farming and horticulture adapt. It may be why we allowed so much of it to disappear in the first place.”

Government response

A Defra spokesman said: “We are acting now to support farmers with more money into farm support, £15m to build on-farm reservoirs, and easier access to water when it is scarce.

 “We’ll keep listening to farmers to help them boost their long-term resilience and give them the confidence to invest in their businesses.”