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As the UK departure date from the EU draws closer, concern among British farmers is increasing, particularly in the sheep sector.
This has led to the launch today of a farmers for a people's vote campaign in the Farmers Club in London.
British farmers out of business
At the launch, former chief economist of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Dr Sean Rickard will present a report which the people's vote campaign say will reveal “the devastating impact a disastrous no-deal would have on UK farmers and the agricultural sector….and that no deal could potentially put over half of UK farms out of business”.
The stark message from the report is that a no-deal Brexit could put up to half of British farmers out of business.
Ahead of the launch, a flock of sheep are being brought to the centre of government in Whitehall.
Sheep
The UK is a significant exporter of agricultural produce across all sectors, but in particular sheepmeat, where it is the third biggest exporter in the world after Australia and New Zealand and just ahead of Ireland.
Of course, this is particularly an issue on the island of Ireland, where almost half of sheep from Northern Ireland come south for processing.
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