Brexit

The NFU and Friends of the Earth (FoE) have joined forces to push for environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards to be protected after Brexit.

The Welsh Conservatives will work with the UK Government to ‘Get Brexit Done’, but also make efforts to assuage any concerns farmers may have about the future, says Paul Davies, the party’s leader.

As we begin a new year and a new decade, we should be confident that farmers across the UK can meet the challenges ahead and grasp opportunities outside the EU, says John Henning, County Armagh beef farmer.

We cannot rely on this Government to deliver for UK agriculture – farmers must step up and get involved if we’re to secure a decent future, says Oliver Dowding, arable farmer and agricultural spokesman for the Green Party in the south west.

Defra Secretary Theresa Villiers wants to ban farrowing crates post-Brexit, but without support from Government and retailers, such a move would threaten UK pig farming’s future, says Zoe Davies, NPA chief executive.

Strengthened powers to tackle supply chain unfairness have been included in the new Agriculture Bill, which returned to Parliament this week.

Defra Secretary Theresa Villiers has promised to look at the availability of abattoir facilities as part of the Government’s plan to reduce the amount of time livestock spend in transit.

A new piece of legislation which will allow the Government to continue to pay farm subsidies in 2020 is expected to be passed by the end of this month, according to a Defra spokeswoman.

The fight between Welsh Government and the UK Government over funding for farmers is likely to intensify in 2020, says Plaid Cymru Shadow Rural Affairs Minister Llyr Gruffydd.

Theresa Villiers’ performance at OFC proved she does not ‘get’ farmers, or care about the impact the Agriculture Bill will have on them, says agricultural recruiter Phil Garnham.