Tough times ahead for farmers as Brexit bites EU uncertainty causing many to consider their futures

Scots farmer Alistair Busby. WITH nearly 40% of the EU’s budget spent on agriculture, the industry is central to the Brexit debate.

However, like most sections of British society, farmers are divided on the issue.

One side calls it economic suicide, the other says it’s an opportunity to carve out a better financial deal for the UK.

Kelso farmer Alistair Busby, 48, is involved soft fruit, arable and hill farming.

He said: “To say I am pessimistic about the situation we are in would be a big understatement.

“As farmers we are going to be dragged into dairy farming returned a profit before CAP support.

“Brexit is clearly causing u n c e r t a i n t y,” said St e v e n Thomson, a senior agricultural economist with the SRUC and one of the authors of the report.

“Some farmers have told us that means they are thinking of retiring earlier than planned.”

EU farm subsidies currently make up to around 50 to 60% of farmers’ income in the UK, with payouts totalling £3.5 billion last year.

The think- tank Agra Europe estimates that without subsidies, 90% of farms would collapse and land prices would crash.

The Government has promised to match the subsidies until 2020 but what happens after that is

unclear. the car park and shot in the back of the head.

“In the same way that fishermen suffered when we went into the EU, the farmers will suffer now that we’re going out.

“Once British politicians have control of money coming back from Brussels I doubt they will spend it on agriculture.

“There are a lot more votes in spending it on the NHS or education. Any farmer who thinks otherwise is in for a very rude awakening.”

Moira Henderson, 56, who runs The Rings, a rural holiday cottage business, and a sheep and crop farm with her husband near Cupar, Fife, quit poultry farming because of problems

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said there would be consultation soon about the future of farm and agriculture support.

“I will be committed to supporting farming in both the short and longer term,” she said.

But Calum Kerr, the SNP’s rural affairs spokesman, said the increasing number of farmers considering early retirement should be a “wake-up call” for the UK Government.

“Their continued silence and lack of clarity on any plan for exiting the EU is having a deeply damaging effect on the sector,” he said.

“Our farmers deserve to be given real answers and be treated fairly in this process.”

caused by the EU. She said: “For some businesses in the UK the EU is fantastic, but I feel it has caused a huge amount of burden for farmers.

“The paperwork you now have to complete is unbelievable.

“I had become sick of EU regulations when I was involved with the poultry industry.

“The regulations seemed to be wholly designed to put small producers out of business and I did finish producing eggs.

“We are in a global market now, and I’m happy for there to be free movement of people, but farmers need a better deal.” SECURING a good deal with Europe will be crucial to farming’s future.

If we receive a settlement which stops us exporting much of our produce to the continent without paying crippling trade tariffs, farmers will face a bleak future.

Gaining a decent deal with the EU will not be simple, as top negotiators will be required – and as all trade negotiations have been carried out on our behalf by Brussels for the past 40 years, we are sadly lacking in talent.

The resignation of Sir Ivan Rogers, the UK’s top civil servant in Brussels who was one of the few who might have been able to cut a good deal, was bad news for farmers and for the country.

Even during our membership of the EU, the UK Government has always headed the faction wanting to cut farm support measures – or do away with them altogether.

Our French and German cousins made sure the farming voice was kept to the fore. But as UK farmers won’t be able to rely on them in future, drastic cuts in support look inevitable.

The bonfire of red tape promised by DEFRA Secretary Andrea Leadsom this week sounds attractive – but few believe it will go far enough.

The Brexit vote means that farmers certainly live in uncertain and interesting times.

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