UK's first baked bean grower issues warning as farmland flooded

A Lincolnshire farmer who recently hit the headlines for cultivating the first British baked beans is now facing a harsh reality as flooding inundates his land. Baked beans grown using innovative methods were hailed by researchers as a step towards sustainable, UK-sourced food options. Grown by Lincolnshire farmer Andy Ward with the help of Warwick University, they are the first UK bean that can be used as baked beans. But rain has now devastated Mr Ward's farmland following recent winter storms, with the farmer stressing urgency for new collaborative solutions to flooding. "There's nothing we can do when the fields are underwater," he said, underscoring the lasting impact flooding has on soil quality and livelihoods. "We'll rebuild and innovate. But we must have support and solutions in place to tackle these issues collectively." Baked beans are usually imported from as far as South America, but the specially-bred haricot bean is now grown on a commercial scale at Mr Ward's farm ...