'˜Lack of farming Brexit plan puts rural economy at risk'

With a little over 15 weeks to go before the historic in-out referendum on June 23, ministers have said that no ‘plan B’ for farming in the event of a ‘Brexit’ is currently in development.

But the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents 33,000 landowners, farmers and rural businesses in England and Wales, warned ministers must be in a position to make quick commitments if the rural economy is to be sustained.

Ross Murray, the CLA’s president, said: “The Government may not wish to reveal its plans before polling day, but it is critical to know that the right plans are being formed. Failure to plan for Brexit will put rural jobs and investment in the rural economy at serious risk and we cannot leave plans that are this important to chance.”

Mr Murray added: “Every day that passes after a vote to leave that ministers do not give reassurances will fuel uncertainties and compound the wider crisis we are facing across our farming sector.”

According to a CLA report published today, the Government should be making plans to secure access to EU markets for UK agricultural products and a mechanism for rural businesses to access a large workforce, and protect investment in farming currently provided by EU support payments.

The report does not advocate a position on whether the UK should leave or remain in the EU, but sets out what ministers must decide and the timeframes in which they must be made, whatever the outcome of the referendum.

Dorothy Fairburn, regional director for the CLA in the North, said: “We desperately need some clarity before the referendum. Our members are extremely worried about the situation. Whenever I meet farmers it is the first topic that comes up in conversation. They desperately want to know what will happen should there be a vote to leave the EU.

“We want Government to be preparing now so that it is ready to make the right commitments, within the right time frames, to minimise damaging uncertainty for the rural economy following either referendum result.”

Miss Fairburn said she was not concerned by the opposing stances on EU membership expressed by ministers Elizabeth Truss - ‘in’ - and George Eustice - ‘out’.

She said: “We respect the Environment Secretary’s and the Farming Minister’s decisions. They are both uniquely placed to spell out a vision for how UK farmers can trade with the EU and the rest of the world whatever the outcome of the vote.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The Government has published information on the exit process, which shows that there could be up to 10 years of uncertainty while we re-negotiate our new relationship with Europe and other trading partners.

“By being part of the EU, UK farmers enjoy the security of a single market - which not only means tariff-free trade that generates £11.5bn for our economy, but also security of markets in the event of a disease outbreak and certainty around regulations such as on labelling that ensure we are competing on a level playing field.

“How those years of negotiation with Europe would affect these benefits is unknown, which is why leaving the European Union is such a leap in the dark. For the farming industry, at a time of severe price volatility and global market uncertainty it would be wrong to take such a gamble.”