FARMERS in Ryedale are counting the cost of last month's floods which have left crops rotting in fields.

The massive deluge two weeks ago has swamped hundreds of acres of field in the area, leaving farmers unable to harvest hay and corn later in the summer.

Potato crops have also been ruined and the dip in production has caused supermarkets and shops to raise prices.

Pickering farmer Chris Hoggard, from Howe Bridge Farm, sells home-grown vegetables from his shop on the A169 and says the recent flood damage could cost him up to £50,000.

"The time of year couldn't have been worse because we should be cutting the grass for hay but now it's lying in a sodden field," he said.

"I have lost 60 acres of hay, costing me between £10,000 and £15,000.

"More than 30 acres of potatoes have also been under water and up to half of this could be ruined, we have to wait and see.

"The land is completely waterlogged and we cannot replant any of the lost crops.

"It could cost me between £20,000 and £50,000 in damaged stock and there's nothing we can do about it. All we can do is take it on the chin and hope for a better time of it next year."

Farmers blame the drainage problems and flooding on a lack of dredging and willow and other plants growing in the River Severn.

Brian Douthwaite from Barr House Farm in Old Malton said flood water which affected seven of his fields has only just started to vanish this week.

"About 50 acres of land were standing in seven foot of water - it was incredible," he said.

"I don't know if the grass is recoverable, if it isn't it's going to set me back up to £3,000."

National Farmers' Union officials have been dealing with streams of calls from members who have had crops ruined.

Malton branch secretary Rob Hicks said: "Crops are still standing in water which should be harvested - it's a big concern.

"The biggest problem with potato growers is that they cannot get on the land to spray for blight, which is more damaging than the water.

"The other issue is that by gaining access to fields to harvest if it is still wet could affect member's entitlements under the single payment scheme. If land is damaged farmers could be prevented from receiving their payments from the Government but we will be in negotiations with Defra to try to prevent this. This bout of flooding has far-reaching implications for many of our members."

Calls have been made to the Environment Agency to change its tactics for managing waterways.

NFU regional director Richard Ellison said they have not been dredging or carrying out bank management to prevent flooding.

He said: "The results have been there for all to see over the past couple of weeks, with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of crops lost to the deluge, not to mention the dire situation in many of our towns and villages."

But officials from the Environment Agency said dredging rivers does nothing to stop the massive volume of water spilling out onto neighbouring fields.

Flood risk manager for the agency, Thomasin Turner, said: "Our work has shown that dredging watercourses has little or no impact on flooding because it does not enlarge the channel sufficiently to allow the large volumes of flood water through.

"The sheer amount of rain that fell over Yorkshire last month was the cause of the floods and any flood protection work would have had difficulty coping with such an unprecedented event."

York's archbishop Dr John Sentamu has led a funding appeal for flood-hit farmers.

He asked bishops at the General Synod to contribute to the ARC-Addington Fund - originally launched during the 2001 foot and mouth crisis.

Ryedale racehorse owner and trainer Mick Easterby believes the recent floods have cost him at least £300,000.

He lost 200 acres of wheat at his farm at Sheriff Hutton after the local beck burst its banks putting fields under several feet of water.

The crisis was aggravated by extensive damage being caused to the seven furlong gallops he uses for exercising his horses.

Mr Easterby said the floods were the worst he had ever known in the 52 years he and his family have lived at Sheriff Hutton.

He has still be able to continue racing because he has another gallop, but the main one will cost £100,000 to repair and take about two months to complete.

Jockeys, unable to use the gallop, went swimming in the flood fields.