The Liberal Democrats have said the Government is failing to provide farmers with the clarity they need on Brexit.
Responding to Andrea Leadsom's speech a tthe NFU Conference today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs Kate Parminter said: “Eight months on since the referendum, and still this government is failing to provide farmers with the clarity they need on Brexit.
“The long-promised Green Paper on food and farming is still nowhere to be seen, meaning farm businesses are not being given a clear sense of direction.
“It's all very well saying tariff-free access to the Single Market is the starting point for the Brexit negotiations, but farmers need to know what the end point will be.”
Ms Parminter said the UK faces a risk of 'crashing out' of the Single Market without any transitional arrangements, which would be an 'unmitigated disaster' for the UK farming sector.
She continued: “Far-flung trade deals will not make up for losing unfettered access to the market for three-quarters of UK farming exports.
“The Liberal Democrats will keep fighting for membership of the Single Market and to prevent a disastrous hard Brexit for British farmers.”
'Three key areas'
National Farmers Union has also called on the Leadsom to clarify the Government's commitments to post-Brexit farming.
In his opening speech at the NFU 2017 conference, NFU President Meurig Raymond highlighted three areas Government needs to take action on if Brexit is to be successful for the country’s food and farming industry.
He said: "Firstly unrestricted access to the European market, secondly continued access to a competent and reliable workforce both pre and post farm-gate and thirdly a new agricultural policy which assists in the development of an increasingly productive, progressive and above all profitable farming sector."
