Farmland turned into paddy fields

By Martin Cassidy
Rural affairs correspondent

Some farmland now resembles paddy fields

Fermanagh farmland has been left resembling paddy fields following weeks of heavy rain and the Colebrook river bursting its banks.

Farmers in the Lisnaskea area had been hoping to harvest silage but the floods mean there is little chance now of saving their crops.

Even on farms where fodder has been gathered, ground conditions are so mucky that livestock have had to be housed.

Andy Wilson was lucky enough to get his grass harvested before the river burst its banks, but more than half of his herd of 200 beef cattle are now in the sheds and eating into their winter rations.

But it's not just Fermanagh where wet weather is causing difficulties.

In the main grain-growing areas combine harvesters have ground to a halt.

It's not just that the grain is too wet to harvest, ground conditions are so poor that the machines are sinking into the soil.

Where fields have been harvested the land is often deeply rutted, telling the story of the battle to save this year's crop.

The Met Office at Aldergrove has said the last dry day in Northern Ireland was 15 August.

Combine harvesters are struggling in the terrible conditions

Rainfall figures are around twice the August average in many parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland and the north of England.

In the Republic of Ireland the bishop of Ferns, Dr Denis Brennan, has asked that prayers for fine weather be offered at all Masses.

The next few weeks will be critical for many crops and in County Londonderry the chairman of the Ulster Farmers Union's cereals committee, Robert Moore, has said the danger now is that grain will sprout.

After such a wet August, farmers are now hoping that September will bring better harvesting conditions.