Supplies of animal feed and bedding purchased with generous donations from members of agricultural purchasing group Anglia Farmers (AF) are now starting to make their way to flood-hit farmers in the south west.

AF members have donated more than £25,000 to the appeal and given thousands of pounds worth of feed and bedding. Mercy missions were quickly organised and conducted from all parts of the country at the beginning of the year, when farmers affected by flooding and fearing the long-term consequences were forced to repeatedly move or even sell their animals.

However, farm groups in the South-West urged those willing to help to donate to schemes that could provide aid over the coming months, which would help them once they had returned to their holdings and had ascertained how floodwaters had affected them.

Now that the worst hit parts of the South-West have been drained and the clean-up has begun, much-needed supplies from appeals like AF's are starting to roll into Somerset once more. AF said this week that its donations had temporarily been put on hold while the local livestock market prepared to take deliveries.

AF Feed and Raw materials manager, Phil Garnham, who organised the group's forage aid appeal, commented, "The generosity shown by our members and suppliers in responding to the appeal has been extraordinary and taking additional donations of fodder beet, straw and haulage into account, the true value has to amount to at least £50,000.  We hope that this will prove invaluable in helping Somerset’s farms recover."

Garnham said that the appeal was issued to AF members on 11 February, initially asking for donations towards a delivery of a single load of fodder beet to Sedgemoor Livestock Market in Somerset, but that the amount needed for a single load was exceeded "within hours" and members continued to donate.

Such was the response to the nationwide appeal that deliveries had to be put on hold because there was no more room at Sedgemoor Livestock market. "We have recently been given the green light to commence deliveries again, which will take place over the next couple of months.  We are most grateful for the patience of all our members who were kind enough to donate," said Phil.

So how will the money be spent?  “We are contributing £1,500 to go towards a grass seed collection from various seed manufacturers to enable Somerset farmers to have something to drill for grass next year. This is being organised by specialist grass seed grower and well-known Norfolk farmer, David Hill.