Fodder is being delivered night and day to the collection and distribution point set up by auctioneers Greenslade Taylor Hunt at Sedgemoor Market to co-ordinate donations to flood-affected Somerset farmers. The collection point has been so busy that the NFU are now asking farmers to pledge donations in advance so that a co-ordinated approach can be taken and supplies spread out over the coming weeks.

At the end of last week 160 tonnes of fodder and sugar beet, 29 tonnes of carrots, 29 tonnes of potatoes, and hundreds of tonnes of hay, straw and haylage were available for distribution.

Efforts have been supported by farmers and businesses from around the UK. Farm workers have been ‘lent’ to come and help at the collection centre and JCB have provided tractors and teleporters for the collection area. Fenland farmer George Munns arranged with a group of Cambridgeshire hauliers to deliver tonnes of carrots and sugar beet direct from farms in his area with help from Young Farmers.

Nathan Ponsillo, volunteering at Sedgemoor Market said: “Farmers do help each other, they stick together. We’ve also had tractors, trailors and teleporters donated to help deliver the donated fodder out to the places where all the animals have been relocated and the public are ringing into Greenslade Taylor Hunt with donations for the fund.”

Yorkshire farmers, Phil Roebottom, an arable farmer from Wakefield and Andrew Nicolson, farmer and agricultural contractor, loaded up their tractor trailers with supplies of hay, straw, and haylage contributed by 15 local farmers and left Yorkshire at 3am on Thursday. Driving on A roads only they finally reached Sedgemoor with their donations in late afternoon.

“We wanted to support the area. I felt the farmers weren’t getting enough support in Somerset and we thought we’d do something about it so here we are!” said Phil Roebottom.

Rebecca Pow, prospective Conservative MP for Taunton Deane who visited the market on Thursday to support the efforts said: “The generosity of the farming community has been phenomenal, not least the two farmers who drove all the way from Yorkshire bringing fodder supplies. In typical farming fashion they are all pulling together to help their industry and it’s wonderful to see it. Greenslade Taylor Hunt are playing a great role too in providing the space for all the fodder to be gathered and then re-distributed. It’s going to be a long haul for many flood affected farmers and to know that their fellow farmers and members of the public are supporting them with their generous donations is invaluable.”

Pictures

Rebecca Pow catches up with farm workers working around the clock to receive supplies at Sedgemoor Market. Left to right: Graham Glasper, Rebecca Pow, Anthony Simms, Nathan Ponsillo

Showing solidarity - farmers arrive from Yorkshire with fodder donated for their Somerset farming counterparts affected by the floods