The government would be mad not to continue supporting farmers should Britain vote to leave the EU on June 23, former Mayor of London Boris Johnson has said.
Appearing on the BBC programme Countryfile on Sunday, Mr Johnson said it was an 'economic no-brainer' as the industry was vital to the UK.
"We will have gone through a democratic process of consent from the British people and they will understand that is necessary for the economy, politicians will take responsibility for it, rather than just saying ‘there’s nothing I can do, it’s all Brussels.'"
Bluff and bluster
However, earlier this month EU agricultural commissioner Phil Hogan said there was no guarantee British farmers would be able to get money elsewhere.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who was also interviewed on the programme, echoed Hogan's warning by saying: "I believe in the living, working countryside. We want to support our farmers. If you ask me 'can you tell me exactly what that would consist of' then no, I can't.
"I'm saying vote to stay in, keep the Common Agricultural Policy payments we get now, keep Europe's markets open."
Former NFU President Peter Kendall said it was "typical bluff and bluster from Boris, who failed to answer and key questions that are vital to the British farming industry.
"He was unable to guarantee that farmers would receive the same support as their key competitors in the European Union.
"And he could not explain how farmers could sell tariff-free into the EU if we left the single market.
"It’s clear that British farming is stronger, safer and better off in Europe."
EU migrants
Mr Johnson also said decisions to allow immigrants to work on farms would be taken in the UK, following an exit.
"I think it would be up to the government of the day.
"If the rural industry were saying 'come on, we are desperate, we can't get the crops out of the fields' then of course that is an argument people would listen to."
He also made the commitment when visiting Yorkshire earlier, when he said workers would be allowed to come but there would be controls.
"You could get EU workers and get people from other European countries.
"They could continue to come, but there would be control.
"If the agricultural sector said we need seasonal labour then that would be something immigration authorities would take int oaccount. Of course you would do that.
"We had lots of seasonal workers on our farm in Somerset. We had workers from European countries, years and years ago when I was a kid.
"There is no reason why that shouldn't continue but what we are saying is that you would be able to set controls."
He said EU migrants were preferable to employers from outside Europe because they do not require visas.
Help unleash the talent and ambition
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: "Unlocking access to our share of €360 billion of European funding will help unleash the talent and ambition across our world-leading food and farming industry, from supporting punchy start-ups to developing the very latest technology in production methods.
"Last year our dairy exports hit £1.4 billion so we know there’s a growing appetite for quality British dairy products.
"The funding will help innovative businesses produce more high-demand products such as yoghurts and cheeses in the UK, creating more jobs, increasing productivity and making the sector more resilient."
Artisan cheese manufacturer Cows & Co, which has its creamery in Cumbria and dairy herd in Dumfriesshire, is one such farm business seeking to access EU funding to support its expansion.
Cows & Co is bringing together a group of farmers in the borders area who have additional capacity to produce high-quality milk to make cheese.
Together, they are looking to create unpasteurised cheese to sell into the many specialist shops across the UK that have sprung up to cater for the increasing demand in top-quality British cheeses.
While Cows & Co has the necessary producing, processing and marketing expertise within its group, moving into unpasteurised products requires investing in separate processing facilities – which is where EU support can provide the head start the project needs.
