Brexit Hub

Without some serious changes, the Trade and Agriculture Commission could end up becoming little more than a fig leaf for the Government’s failure to protect production standards in law, says Labour Shadow Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner.

Strange claims about trade deals with other countries increasing UK farmers’ use of insecticides must be taken with a pinch of salt, says Adam Speed, head of communications at the Crop Protection Association (CPA).

With the chance of reaching a good trade deal with the EU slipping away, we may soon need to start knitting parachutes for a cliff edge exit in December, says Matt Legge, a sheep, beef and pig farmer from the Isle of Wight.

Confidence must be restored in Welsh Government’s ability to support rural communities in the post-EU era after it incurred fines for mishandling funds, says Llyr Gruffydd, North Wales MS and Plaid Cymru Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs.

The Government’s decision to set up a Trade Commission should have cooled down the debate on food standards, but instead it has heated it up, says Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City, University of London and author of Feeding Britain.

Farmers should not worry about Brexit, but the coronavirus, which could kill off many small agricultural shows and sever the rural community’s links with wider society, says Dave Herbert, a South Welsh smallholder producing eggs and poultry.

UK farmers do not need a comprehensive trade deal with the US to capitalise on American opportunities, NFU international trade director Nick von Westenholz has said.

Welsh Government must learn lessons from the coronavirus crisis and change course on its post-Brexit agriculture policy, focusing more on food, says Rachel Lewis-Davies, NFU Cymru’s national environment and land use adviser.

As the Agriculture Bill passes through the House of Lords, peers will be seeking to make changes to strengthen it in several areas, says Baroness McIntosh.

As an Irish farmer, it is disappointing to see my UK counterparts are unwilling to get out on the streets to protest to protect food production standards, says County Meath beef farmer Eamon Cassells.