Somerset Levels farming may become 'unsustainable' due to floods

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Alan Franks' family has been in dairy farming since the 1950s but he now fears for his business.

Alan Franks, 78, whose family has been in dairy farming since his farmer began working the land on Blakeway in the 1950s, estimates 350 acres of his land has been underwater since October - meaning he is unable to grow feed or let his cattle roam.

He said the flooding has caused "loss of production" for him, adding the once the waters do recede, the ground will be "rotted", preventing him from growing feed for his cattle or sowing for a crop harvest."It's unsustainable with flooding and the raised water levels," he said. "We're used to it flooding but to the extent we're getting, it's gone a bit beyond a joke now. It's impossible to manage it."An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We are aware that it has been one of the wettest winter periods on the Somerset Levels since records began.

 

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