There are 'huge opportunities' in being out of the European Union for the fishing and farming industry, newly appointed Defra minister Michael Gove has said.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning (19 June) he said getting out of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) means British farmers will be 'better protected' than ever before.
"We believe we can get a good deal for Britain," he said.
"We want to forge new trade deals with other countries. There are huge opportunities in being outside the European Union.
"Taking back control of our territorial waters means that we can revive the fishing industry.
"Getting out of CAP means that we can ensure that our farmers are better protected than ever before. We can also ensure that we have higher environmental and animal welfare standards."
For Michael Gove, Defra faces some of the toughest challenges of any Government department as Brexit looms.
Outgoing Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has already attacked Gove for 'u-turning on cheap food'.
'Little closer to knowing'
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has written an open letter to Gove, outlining wants and needs of the farming industry ahead of uncertain times.
The CAP, which many farmers rely on, will have to be replaced with a UK-focused system.
Speaking at the opening of Cereals 2017, NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “We are still a whole year on from the Brexit referendum, little closer to knowing what future Brexit holds for us.
“We don’t know what our future trading relationship will be with the EU – our biggest trading partner by some way in agri-food products; we don’t know how a future immigration system in the UK will work, and how farmers can be sure they’ll continue to have access to the highly specialised workforce required in many sectors; and we don’t know how public policy will support agriculture in future in mitigating volatility, improving productivity and delivering environmental goods once we are no longer subject to the Common Agricultural Policy.”
Vicki Hird, Sustainable Farming Campaign Coordinator for the Sustain alliance, said the next government has a 'once in a lifetime opportunity' with Brexit and changing CAP.
She said: "[It should] end some of the absurdities of Europe's Common Agricultural Policy, which has not supported small and family farms well and which contributed to a loss of farmland diversity and wildlife.
"Our alliance proposals present a practical way forward and a basis that the Government could use for common ground between the industry, and those groups championing the rural economy, conservation, public health and development."
