Farming leaders seeking workable trade deals after Brexit
Farming leaders are seeking urgent talks with Defra Ministers to reinforce the importance of a workable deal which retained productive migrant labor, which the country depends on and allowed for ‘free and easy’ access, unbound by potentially damaging World Trade Organisation (WTO) default terms.
It followed Prime Minister Theresa May’s hardline message to Brussels on Tuesday, where she warned the UK would walk away from Europe if it was offered a ‘bad’ Brexit deal.
The Agricultural Industries Confederation said such a move could be potentially ‘very damaging’ for the sector, with the increasing spectre of tariff levels under WTO rules posing ever greater threats to the industry’s ability to continue to compete in traditional markets.
CLA president Ross Murray urged the Government to ‘consider closely the balance of opportunity and risk for the agri-food sector which is specific to each and every potential deal available to the UK’.
Scottish farm chiefs have reiterated that access to the EU market without barriers and any new obstacles will continue to be a priority.
NFU Scotland’s parliamentary officer Clare Slipper said: “Now we know the Prime Minister has ruled out remaining within the single market, what will become of utmost importance to the Scottish agricultural industry is that the Prime Minister achieves her objective of a bold and ambitious free trade agreement with the EU.
“NFU Scotland wants barrier and tariff-free trade as well as the freedom to set our own appropriate rules for farming.”
source: fginsight.com
