Farmers suffer from continuous rain
According to the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association, hundreds of thousands of hectares of arable land and grassland are flooded. Some farmers have to bring their animals to safety from the water. The situation is becoming increasingly stressful.
According to the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association Landvolk, almost every farmer is currently affected by flooding in their fields or by water damage. This is due to the large amounts of rainfall in recent weeks, according to the Landvolk. It is currently not possible to estimate exactly how many agricultural areas have been directly affected by flooding from nearby rivers or other bodies of water. "Several hundred thousand hectares of arable land and grassland have been flooded," said Landvolk President Holger Hennies. Hundreds of farms were also affected by flooding, "but fortunately only very few farms were so badly affected that stables were also affected and livestock had to be evacuated", said Hennies.
The flood situation on the Hunte in Oldenburg, for example, has worsened. Here, four horse farms in the Bümmerstede district were informed by the city that there was a potential risk and that they should ensure that their horses were evacuated in an emergency. Nadine Wilkens has already taken some of her animals to safety as a precaution, although no evacuation has yet been ordered by the authorities. "They're like our children," said Wilkens. Several horses are now staying with friends.
"The solidarity among farmers is enormous. Everyone is helping everyone," emphasized the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association. Only a few stables with dairy cows had to be evacuated. However, accommodating them was a particular challenge, as replacement stables also had to have the necessary milking technology. It was a stressful situation for the farmers who were particularly affected.
Bremen farmer Carsten Schnakenberg has also been fighting tirelessly against the floods since Christmas. "You can't really get down, even when you go to bed," said the farmer from the district of Timmersloh. However, the solidarity among the affected farmers is enormous.
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The extreme weather conditions in Lower Saxony have led to numerous issues in the agriculture sector, with floods causing significant damage to farmland and livestock. According to the latest reports, over half a million hectares of arable land and grassland have been affected, forcing farmers to relocate their animals to safer grounds.
Source: www.ntv.de
