Brexit Hub

Asking farmers to build on their progress and go even further to protect the countryside is the right thing to do, but they must be given as much support as possible from Government to get the job done, says High Peak MP Robert Largan.

Potato seed and ware exports from the UK could be interrupted in a Brexit no deal scenario and there are signs that seed potato growers are looking to export potatoes before the transition period ends on December 31.

The NFU has hit back at Defra Secretary George Eustice’s claim that a no-deal Brexit will be a ‘good outcome’ for the UK.

Backing British farming is a verb – not a day for passive praise or casual thanks. MPs must prove they back British farmers all year round, says Labour’s Shadow Defra Secretary Luke Pollard.

Defra is planning to introduce a new ‘stepping stone’ scheme to bridge the gap between BPS and ELMs, but it should not weaken the resolve to introduce a long-term policy, or delay the timetable, says Vicki Hird, head of sustainable farming at Sustain.

NFU PRESIDENT Minette Batters refused to take a seat on the Trade and Agriculture Commission because she did not want to be bound by the confidentiality agreement all members had to sign, Farmers Guardian has learned.

In the tough times ahead, I hope farmers will see there is more to gain from working together than from being king of your own sandcastle, says arable farmer and NFU Sugar Board member Tom Clarke.

Lots of things have gone wrong in the Brexit talks with the EU, but the nation needs farmers to pull through, no matter what comes next, says Oliver Dowding, apple juice producer and agricultural spokesman for the Green Party in the south west.

If the UK is ambitious about its future, the interests of farmers and consumers must be front and centre in any new trade policy, says Conservative peer Anne McIntosh.

In just over four months, the UK will finally achieve its independence from the EU. But farmers should be asking if they’re prepared for big changes in policy and trade, says George Dunn, chief executive of the TFA.