Brexit Hub

We are living in an ‘age of economic uncertainty’ that could see things get worse for farmers before they get better, a leading economist has warned.

In 2005, a UK travel company branded the third Monday in January ‘Blue Monday’ – the day of the year we are most likely to be depressed, with the festivities of Christmas a distant memory, high debt levels and our New Year’s resolutions out the window.

Brexit border delays have brought the UK pork sector to a standstill, with warnings knock-on effects could be felt on farms.

There will no doubt be some teething problems for businesses, but now a UK-EU trade deal has been done, we need to give it time to work, says Neil Parish MP, chairman of the Efra Select Committee.

Welsh farmers will continue to receive the same level of funding in 2021 as they received in 2019 – there is no need for worry about rural spending, says Paul Davies MS, leader of the Welsh Conservatives.

Farmers cannot afford to lose half their BPS income over the next four years. Government must maintain current farm payments until the new ELM scheme is rolled out in full to protect the future of family farming, says Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale.

To use a spot of football jargon, the Brexit negotiations benefited from their very own version of ’Fergie-time’, that fabled bit of extra-extra time that would seemingly appear at the end of Manchester United games when the Red Devils were managed by Sir Alex Ferguson. The games would go on longer than expected but the desired result, for Sir Alex at least, was achieved in the end.

The best future for Scottish farmers will be achieved by pursuing independence from the dysfunctional UK, says John Finnie, Green MSP for the Highlands and Islands.

There were many unpredictable and unprecedented events in 2020, but what does 2021 have in store for farmers? Sustain’s head of sustainable farming, Vicki Hird, explores what could be on the horizon.

Welsh Government’s current future agriculture policy plans do not focus enough on food security. Ministers need to remedy this as a Christmas gift to farmers, says Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Welsh Tory Shadow Rural Affairs Minister.