Two leading organisations representing the rural economy have
written to the Prime Minister to set out how best to mitigate the
risks to the agriculture sector of a No Deal Brexit.
The Country Land and Business Association and the Tenant Farmers
Association both said that leaving the EU without a deal is
‘deeply undesirable’, but welcomed Government efforts to prepare
for all eventualities.
Tim Breitmeyer, President of the Country Land
and Business Association (CLA) said:
“For some sectors in the rural economy, leaving the EU without a
deal would be deeply damaging. But make no mistake, damage
would be done to the European economy too. That is why we
encourage both sides to return to the negotiating table
immediately.
“It is incumbent on business groups now to work with Government
closely and proactively. Our recommendations are designed
to help Government mitigate the risks of No Deal and prepare for
the future, giving a degree of certainty to the thousands of
rural businesses who are dependent on a thriving export market.”
, National Chairman of
the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) said:
“Leaving the European Union will bring both opportunities and
challenges for the farming industry. However, it would be
reckless to leave the European Union without a deal and without a
package of underpinning measures for the agricultural industry.
Severe restrictions to export markets through both tariff and
nontariff barriers, cutting access to important migrant labour
supplies and leaving us open to imports of food ingredients and
products produced to standards banned at home would be calamitous
for our country’s food and environmental security”
The letter, sent to the Prime Minister in early August, called on
Government to focus on a number of key areas in the run up to
October 31st. They include:
• Maintaining and developing market
access through:
-
ensuring continued access to EU export markets for agricultural
commodities, for example through Tariff Rate Quotas under WTO
rules;
-
together with developing enhanced routes to market both at home
(for example, through public procurement, as well as avoidance of
any impediments to trade within the UK) and abroad, using our
already high standards for environment and animal welfare as a
key selling point.
• Responding swiftly to market
disturbance through:
- a transition
support package to primary producers who will see the value of
their output undermined by EU tariffs in a way that considers the
industry’s long-term capacity;
- the
implementation of the import tariffs on food announced in March
2019. They need to be kept under review and adjusted according to
market conditions, and perhaps extended to other products;
- ensuring
tariff free access to imported inputs for the agricultural
industry including agrochemicals, machinery and spare parts.
• Enabling longer-term profitability in a no-Deal
context through:
- § a commitment from the Government that it will
consider the migrant labour needs of the farming industry, with
the ability to source labour from the EU or elsewhere;
- § regulating to ensure fair treatment of and fair
returns to primary producers in the food chain;
- § legislating to ban the importation of any food
ingredients or food products that have been produced using
techniques which would be banned anywhere in the UK.
- § reviewing the timing of the transition to a new
policy platform and leaving the current arrangements in place
until the economic realities of operating outside of the EU are
clearer.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- The Country
Land and Business Association (CLA) represents around 30,000
rural businesses across England and Wales
