Brexit will make farming 'fit for the future' thanks to 'new approach', May says

Theresa May said that leaving the EU provides a "unique opportunity" to transform British food and farming
Theresa May said that leaving the EU provides a "unique opportunity" to transform British food and farming

Brexit will make the British agricultural industry "fit for the future" thanks to the government's "new approach", the Prime Minister has said.

Theresa May visited the Royal Welsh Show today (26 July) to set out her vision for post-Brexit farming policy.

She explained how the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be replaced with the government's new plan for farmers to receive subsidies based on public goods in a move towards a so-called 'green Brexit'.

The Prime Minister also met with leading figures from the agricultural industry at the show.

She said: “Leaving the EU presents us with a unique opportunity to transform our food, farming and environmental policies so we can have a healthy and prosperous agricultural industry that is fit for the future, and helps us to leave the environment in a better place than we found it.

"Scrapping the Common Agricultural Policy and introducing a simpler system which provides funds in return for public goods, like improving water quality, reducing emissions and planting wild flower meadows to boost biodiversity, is fundamental to our new approach,” Mrs May added.

Mrs May's speech comes just days after the NFU describing a 'no deal' Brexit as the "Armageddon scenario" for the farming industry.

NFU president Minette Batters used a speech at the Royal Welsh Show to say how crashing out of the EU without a deal must be avoided.

The farming union has previously warned that a 'no deal' Brexit could bring farms to the "brink of collapse".

But Mrs May insisted that the government wants to "make the most of the freedoms provided by Brexit" to design a new scheme that is "less bureaucratic" for farmers.

'Overly prescriptive'

The Prime Minister said she wants to do "away with the overly prescriptive information farmers currently have to provide to apply for grants."

She added: “This Government is committed to supporting the half a million people who work in agriculture and growing our world leading food and drinks sector, which contributes over £100 billion to the UK economy. But we also need to protect the farmed environment for future generations.”

Mrs May's comments follows the release of new survey which highlights consumers’ concerns for the Welsh farming industry once the UK leaves the European Union.

63% of Welsh consumers surveyed said that they were concerned that trade deals could limit Welsh farmers’ ability to export their produce.

However, Defra Secretary Michael Gove has insisted that it is "overwhelmingly likely" that the farming industry will have tariff free trade access to EU markets post-Brexit.

'Best deal for UK'

Speaking after the meeting with Mrs May, NFU Cymru President John Davies said that he stressed the importance of government securing conditions that enable the agricultural sector to have a "productive, profitable and progressive" future.

“I also took the opportunity to thank the Prime Minister for the engagement she has had with the farming industry in recent months. We welcome this continued engagement and look forward to working with the Prime Minister over the coming months as she looks to secure the best deal for the UK,” Mr Davies said.

“During our conversation I told the Prime Minister that NFU Cymru was encouraged by the main principles of the recent Chequers agreement and we are particularly pleased by the practical and pragmatic approach she has adopted with these plans.

Mr Davies added: “I made it clear to the Prime Minister that now was the time for government to show leadership; they must not waiver or be deflected from the aim of delivering the best possible deal with the EU27 and other markets.”