Farmers have launched a campaign calling on Britain to remain in the EU, warning Brexit is a “risk we cannot afford to take”.
The Farmers for In campaign, fronted by AHDB chair Peter Kendall, was launched officially yesterday in a letter to The Sunday Times signed by 42 influential members of the farming community.
The letter argued Brexit was a “nightmare scenario”, which would restrict access to the UK’s most important market, do little to reduce red tape in Britain, and speed up the abolition of direct support to farmers.
Even if the UK were to negotiate a free trade deal with the EU similar to the Swiss model, it would not cover all products or give the same unrestricted access as EU membership, it argued.
And the UK would still have to abide by EU standards and regulations, without having a say in their formation.
“The regulatory bonfire we’ve been promised by the Leave campaigns just wouldn’t happen,” said the letter. “In any case, some of the worst regulations, as well as the ‘gold-plating’ of EU directives, happen in the UK, not Brussels.”
The letter claimed it was UK government policy to abolish direct payments in 2020, and warned the Leave camp was “hopelessly divided” on what a national farm policy would look like.
“Some want a more protectionist approach while others envisage removing all protection and importing food from wherever it is cheapest,” it said.
Signatories to the campaign, which is part of the Britain’s Stronger in Europe campaign, include George Lyon, former president of NFU Scotland, Sir Jim Paice, former minister for agriculture and food, Jilly Greed, co-founder of Ladies in Beef, and former AHDB chair Stuart Roberts.
It has also been backed by growers and food processors including Duncan Worth, CEO of QV Foods, and Ed Salt, managing director of Delamere Dairy.
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