Thousands of people all over Sussex had their homes and businesses wrecked by the floods after exceptional rainfall in the autumn.

Some of them were insured against damage and others have been helped, as in Lewes, by funds set up to give local relief.

But less attention has been given to farmers who have lost crops because whole fields have been under water since the heavens opened in September.

Farmers always moan about the weather but this time they are justified after a year and a half's rainfall came down in just three months.

The floods have also followed a period of deep trouble for British agriculture in which farm incomes dropped to their lowest in real terms for 70 years.

Clearly, help is needed for farmers in low-lying areas who have been worst affected by the floods, including those south of Chichester and the ones in the valleys of rivers like the Arun, Adur, Ouse and Cuckmere.

The Government has already asked Brussels to relax rules on compensation so farmers whose crops are still in the ground will be able to claim.

Last autumn was the culmination of a series of years in which the autumn rainfall has been much higher than usual and there are fears the trend will continue because of climate change.

Arable farmers may have to consider erecting barriers against flooding where possible or leaving some fields fallow during the winter.

They cannot afford to risk losing whole fields of crops to the weather on a regular basis.