| News
NSA asks for united livestock sector in face of
Brexit disarray
With nothing but political rhetoric and unanswered
questions in the week since the British public went to the
polls to make their voices heard on EU membership, the
National Sheep Association (NSA) is working within the
industry to ensure a united front on priorities for the
sheep sector.
hil Stocker, NSA
Chief Executive,
says: “NSA and
other farming
organisations
continuously
asked for a ‘Plan B’ during the
referendum campaign, so people
could go to the polls making a
decision based on fact. But with
the decision to leave having now
been taken, the absence of such a
plan means we are completely in
the dark and rudderless. NSA is
working on a list of priorities for the
sheep sector and, knowing that
other stakeholders will be doing
the same, we want to work
together to ensure a single voice
for agriculture. Now is not the time
for one-upmanship. Now is the
time for clear dialogue & direction.
We want to set an example for the
politicians and fight side-by-side
for a positive future.”
P
NSA appreciates there will be
many business sectors calling for
action, but with farming and food
providing more than 3.5 million
jobs and contributing to 7% of the
UK economy, it is clearly a sector
that needs priority treatment.
Phil continues: “Farming is not
only important to the economy, to
employment and to the survival of
rural communities, it also
produces the most essential
ingredient of life – food. Ensuring
food security for the nation is
essential at a time when markets,
economies and political
relationships are highly volatile, yet
farming has taken a back seat in
discussions before and after last
week’s vote. A united voice from
the agricultural sector must be
heard. And the politicians who
encouraged people to ‘vote leave’
need to be held to the attractive
promises they made.”
08 | Farming Monthly | July 2016
NSA is consulting within its
regional structure to finalist a list of
priorities for the sheep sector, and
is discussing options with other
stakeholders about a united
approach on the future of
agriculture support and farming
regulations."
In addition to the NSA position on
the Brexit outcome, Christopher
Findley, Private Wealth Partner at
Bircham Dyson Bell had this to
say:
“The agricultural industry will
now face the removal of the
Common Agricultural Policy and
all its subsidies, compliance
regime and environmental
legislation. Farmers will need to
have their concerns addressed
quickly and urgent fiscal and
political decisions are now
needed. Without any support UK
agriculture will face a deep
recession and bankruptcy on a
large scale.
Farmers have long criticised
that whilst Brussels produced the
framework legislation, UK
legislators ‘gold-plated these with
over-detailed rules resulting in a
strict compliance regime and
unnecessary red tape. It would be
a false hope to think that Brexit will
now lea