No-deal Brexit 'a catastrophe for farmers' says leader

Malcolm Roberts, chairman of the NFU West Midlands region, issued the warning after the Environment Secretary Michael Gove admitted that it is a "grim and inescapable fact" that beef and lamb exporters could face huge hikes in tariffs with a no-deal exit.

The Conservative cabinet member told the Oxford Farming Conference that the tariff on exports under World Trade Organisation terms, which would be used in event of a no-deal exit from the EU, could be at least 40 per cent.

However, North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson argues that leaving the EU is a "opportunity" to overhaul what he called a failing farming model.

Mr Roberts, a sheep farmer from Oswestry, today said that a 40 per cent export tariff would wipe out any profit sheep farmers make, and could put them out of business.

He said: "The basis is someone takes 40 per cent out before you can get the product across the water, so it's not viable. British agriculture would suffer considerably from it. If we default to World Trade Organisation tariffs we are out of business."

Mr Roberts said the government must make sure that people importing goods to Britain will be subject to the same conditions required of British farmers.

He said: "What we also want is reassurance from Michael Gove that products imported are raised and produced to the highest standards, as we do here.

"What we do not want to be is flooded with cheap imports."

Difficult

Mr Roberts said that currently around 38 per cent of lamb produced is exported.

He said that a 40 per cent tariff would make it uneconomical for farmers to export, and that selling the lamb to UK consumers would lead to a decrease in price, also hitting farmers in the pocket.

The chairman said that the uncertainty had made it hugely difficult for farmers to plan, particularly because the nature of farming means production cannot start and stop.

He added that farmers are working to get lamb ready for the Easter market.

"The problem with agriculture is you cannot shut production," he said.

Mr Roberts said that farmers would be disappointed with the way negotiations over Brexit had been handled, from both a UK and EU point of view.

He said: "It is just incredible to think we are inexcusably in this position, there are millions of pounds involved in agriculture, it beggars belief.

"I think behind the scenes every farmer would be disgruntled in the way it has been handled.

"A lot of farmers were in support of Brexit, we know that, but I do not think any envisaged it would be handled as badly as it has been and that is not just our government, it is the EU as well."