One of the emerging themes of the Northern floods is how farmers and dredging debate has once again taken off. This note covers Liz Truss’s speech and some of the resulting commentary.

Environment Minister addresses the Oxford Farming Conference

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/environment-minister-addresses-the-oxford-farming-conference–2    6 January 2016  Elizabeth Truss today delivered a speech to delegates at the annual Oxford Farming Conference  You can watch a video of the speech at the end of this page, or read our press release Reformed Defra will help British farming lead the world.

George Monbiot Liz Truss is choosing to protect farmers over flood victims  By doing everything the farming lobby asks, the UK environment secretary is using public money to make the flooding of the built environment even more likely

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2016/jan/07/liz-truss-is-choosing-to-protect-farmers-over-flood-victims

Wildlife Link the consortium of wildlife NGO’s have responded with a letter to the Times …. You’ll only be able to read part of it … http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/letters/article4663544.ece

Farmers and conservationists split over river dredging plans – Farmers Weekly

http://www.fwi.co.uk/news/farmers-and-conservationists-split-over-river-dredging-plans.htm