A 'CRISIS meeting' for farmers affected by the floods was being held yesterday (Nov 29), organised by the National Farmers' Union in York.

They were to explain how the flooding affected them and to hear a report from NFU president Ben Gill on his recent meeting with Agriculture Minister Nick Brown

"For some producers, the financial cost of the recent deluge will be disastrous," said Richard Ellison, NFU regional director for Yorkshire and the north-east. "The NFU will continue to impress on the Government the seriousness of the situation and the need for practical assistance, such as the prompt release of support payments to aid cash flow problems."

In Yorkshire, plantings of winter cereals are well down on normal, which will have a knock-on effect next harvest, and those crops which were planted during rare dry spells could now be rotting and need re-planting. It is estimated that about one-quarter of the Yorkshire potato crop remains in the sodden ground, in North Yorkshire the figure is 40pc.