The devolved parliaments of the UK are now looking to Westminster for further clarification over devolved powers once the UK leaves the EU

Devolved UK governments are now looking to Westminster for guarantees on the financial framework for them to develop their own specific agricultural policies.

Following Defra Secretary Michael Gove's speech on Thursday at the Oxford Farming Conference, where his support for food production, fairer food supply chains and securing the right trading platforms post-Brexit was widely welcomed, devolved governments are now looking for further guarantees.

Farming union NFU Scotland said it is now looking to Westminster for guarantees on the financial framework and the flexibility for Scotland to develop agricultural policies bespoke to the needs of Scotland’s farmers and crofters.

It also looks to the Scottish Government to expand its policy vision for Scottish food and farming in the weeks ahead.







NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick said: “With food and drink now Scotland and the UK’s biggest manufacturing sector, we welcome Mr Gove’s recognition that any new, agricultural policy must have food production at its core.

“While the speech focused on how Defra will deliver for England, Scottish farmers and crofters now need to hear more about what the future holds for them. Reiteration of the funding commitment to 2022 provides some certainty through what will continue to be an uncertain era for Scotland's farmers and crofters.

Mr McCornick added: “That period must be fully utilised to develop and implement a new support regime that fits Scotland's agricultural landscape and which rewards activity, incentivises innovation and productivity, and recognises good stewardship of a flourishing environment, allowing farmers and crofters the opportunity to manage and adapt to change.”

'Remain in the dark'

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has described comments by Gove on post-Brexit agriculture as "welcome", but says Welsh farmers "remain in the dark" over many important issues.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said many Welsh farmers would also be concerned that nothing was said about progress on talks between devolved regions on how devolved powers and funding might operate once the UK leaves the legal framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

He said: “Wales currently has devolved powers over agricultural and rural development spending and policy, but this is within the limits laid down in the CAP framework.

“The FUW fully supports such devolved powers continuing. But, we now need to ensure that devolved powers are fully respected by all 4 nations and that we don't see the creation of support mechanisms that benefit one nation over another.

Mr Roberts added: “Therefore we need to develop a UK framework which ensures equivalence between producers in the four nations, which respects devolved powers and allows a degree of flexibility.”

Opposition politicians have in the past accused the UK government of an attempted "power grab" over responsibilities that will return to the UK from Brussels once the country withdraws from the EU.