A support scheme with available funds totalling £2.7m has been opened for farmers in Northern Ireland affected by flooding that took place on 22 and 23 August 2017.

The North West 2017 Flooding Income Support Scheme will provide funding for farmers who applied for a force majeure after being affected by the flooding and subsequent landslides.

Farmers who applied for damages may be entitled to claim a one off payment of up to £106,323 per farm under the scheme, announced the NI Minister for Agriculture Edwin Poots.

“The extreme flooding event meant that the farming and wider rural communities in the northwest experienced significant hardship,” Minister Poots stated.

“Farm businesses lost income due to the impact on their land and the cost of removing debris and silt, as well as reseeding to restore it back to productive use,” he said.

Payment details

Any farms eligible for compensation will receive correspondence notifying them of the support package.

“The one-off grant payment, which will be capped at £106,323 per farm business, is available for farmers who applied for a force majeure in respect of the flooding incident,” he continued.

“I would urge all eligible businesses to make sure their application is submitted as soon as possible,” the minister said.

Those wishing to apply for compensation can do so online from 28 July. The relevant documents can be filled out here before the closing date of 12 August 2021.