Impact of Brexit on Farming
by Richard Hare
Although I applaud John Flack’s concern for animal welfare, it’s a pity it doesn’t extend to the thousands of East Anglian agri-industry jobs that will surely be lost as a result of his poorly thought quest for cheap imported food. Our world class East Anglian pig farming and sugar-beet industries spring to mind. What plan does he have for them? Welfare?
US agriculture is subsidised more than EU farming so Mr Trump is going to wipe the floor with our once proud agriculture and its associated landscape. And let’s not forget there won’t be any EU subsidies to soften the landing.
Nor does Mr Flack appear to be aware of the impact of this additional import burden on our trade deficit that widened by £2.8 billion to £10.8 billion in the three months to December 2017 (source – Office of National Statistics). It’s a widening attributed by the ONS to Brexit. And what of the fall in the pound caused by the referendum? Already this has done much to wipe out his ‘cheap imports’ bonus that we were supposed to enjoy.
Dear oh dear. So Brexit is “going to be wonderful” is it? Does he think I was born yesterday?