Farm Forum: Brexit and Beyond On the political front there is nothing
much else being talked about just now other than Brexit. The ironic thing is that despite all the talking we are no nearer even guessing the final outcome, indeed the more that is said the more confusing everything becomes. An example of this is the fact that at present 38% of all UK lamb is currently “exported” to the EU, which, at present, is a free trade area of which we are part, affected negatively or positively only by the fluctuations between the Pound and the Euro. Under the World Trade Organisation’s rules, for countries outwith existing trade deals, the punitive tariff that could be applied would be devastating for the Scottish sheep sector. Mr Davis, the UK Secretary of State for exiting the European Union, has admitted that there is a possibility that the UK may find itself outside of the EU with no trade deal, previously declaring it “ improbable” that the UK could remain in the single market. The European Parliament’s chief negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, is also quoted as making it very clear that there would be no single market membership without freedom of movement.
As a layman I find it difficult to see how Brexit is going to resolve the migrant problem - it is certainly not just going to go away! Indeed, there are signs that it could cause major fallouts in Europe before very long and before Brexit is finalised. Recently the Lobby Group, “Rewilding Britain” launched a new report claiming that rewilding the UK’s landscapes would help mitigate flood risk by creating greater water holding capacity upstream. Much is being done already by creating wet lands etc. The NFU has already said that it is ready and willing to work with any group that wants to find solutions to flooding, whilst also accepting the critical importance of protecting our limited but precious resource of productive farm land. Guy Smith, Vice President of NFU England commented that we have to keep a focus on the level of food production in the UK, now barely 60% selfsufficient. Because if we rewild vast areas of British farmland we will have to import even more food. Would that all come from countries that are more environmentally friendly? You guess! Agricola
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