Investing in higher animal welfare standards through funding from the UK’s post-Brexit agriculture policy will be discussed at today's NFU conference.

Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Secretary Michael Gove will tell NFU members that the current level of animal welfare standards will continue to be enforced in the UK post-Brexit.

“We could also support industry-led initiatives to improve these standards, especially in cases where animal welfare remains at the legislative minimum," part of Gove's speech reads.

“This may include pilot schemes that offer payments to farmers delivering higher welfare outcomes, or payments to farmers running trial approaches and technologies to improve animal welfare that are not yet an industry standard.”

Culture in agriculture

The Defra secretary is expected to say that post-Brexit agricultural policy will aim to preserve "the cultural link between farmers and the landscapes they maintain”.

“Preserving profitable farm businesses in those communities is just as much a public good as investment in anything I know.”

In a statement before the speech, Defra said that a command paper on future agricultural policy in the UK will be published shortly and will be subject to consultation.

Farmers produce food

NFU president Meurig Raymond is expected to use his speech to highlight to importance of including food production in future agriculture policy.

“British farmers want to be the first supplier of choice, servicing every price point and serving every plate, feeding Britain with food produced to a high standard, independently inspected to ensure its integrity,” Raymond's last opening address as NFU president reads.

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Farmers need profit to increase production