No-deal Brexit would be "disastrous" for UK Farming

The National Farmers‘ Union has warned about the “absolutely disastrous” impact a no-deal Brexit could have on the farming and agriculture industry.

President Minette Batters said leaving the European Union without an agreed deal could, for example, force shepherds to slaughter their flocks as they lose access to European markets for British lamb.

Speaking on Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, she said: “We’ve said consistently that it would be socially and economically absolutely disastrous for the sector.”

Ms Batters explained there were 15 million breeding ewes across the country, making it the second-largest producer of sheep meat in the world.

However as the UK is not eating a huge amount of the “high quality premium protein”, farmers rely on international markets to push its products.

A no-deal Brexit would restrict the amount of meat being exported, all the while sheep meat imports from New Zealand continued.

This would lead to an over-supply of meat in the UK which could see devastating consequences for farmers.

Ms Batters said the threat to the sector had been recently highlighted by British supermarkets who warned a no-deal Brexit would be “as bad as it gets”.