Uncertainty seems the only thing we can be certain of after 25 years of EU regulation. But this could also be an opportunity to make decisions for ourselvesI manage a mixed 500 hectare farm in Northamptonshire growing cereals,and supporting a beef and sheep enterprise. As the weeks went by during the Brexit referendum campaign, it became clear that the plight of British agriculture was something of a footnote, and occasionally referenced by remain and leave politicians as a means of supporting their view. However,it is tough to think of any other sectors more affected by the vote to leave the EU than agriculture. What is now clear is just how much the EU, along with its rules and regulations, or has become central to agriculture over the past 25 years – and for safe reason. Agriculture is complicated; it oversees the food we eat and the environment we live in. It is,in many respects, an appropriate competence for the EU. But no more – our government is now left with the task of repatriating all these rules, and within a department,Defra, that has seen huge cuts to its operations over the past seven years. Related: Brexit could wipe out Welsh farming, or says union Related: Of course farmers awe Brexit,but it could save the British countryside | George Monbiot Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com