The NFU, which represents 55,000 member farmers across England and Wales, has voted that on the balance of existing evidence available to the organisationat present, the interests of UK farmers are best served by their continuing membership of the European Union.
The meeting of the council to vote took place on Monday 18 April and looked at, among other issues, the implications for the UK's agricultural trade with the EU and the rest of the world, the balance of risks of a national farm policy versus the CAP, the impact of the agricultural uncertainty following a vote to leave, the potential impacts for the wider food chain, the consequence for farming regulation, in or out, and the consequences for agricultural labour availability.
Like the UFU, which gave a similar view on the Brexit referendum back in February, the NFU will not be actively campaigning in the referendum, it will not be joining with any campaign groups and it will not, in any circumstances, advise its members how to vote.
The NFU said "recognises and respects the diversity of views among its membership. The NFU’s position is based solely on an evaluation of the agricultural merits of the case and the NFU is fully aware there are many wider issues at stake."
The organisation added that whether the vote is to stay or leave Europe, the NFU "will always lobby to obtain the best possible deal for British farmers".
The NFU has taken two reports to its members. The first looked at the key questions remaining on the impact on farming should the UK leave the EU. The second report commissioned by Dutch University Wageningen looked at the impact of direct payments and access to markets based on three models where the UK leaves the EU and then faces three different scenarios.
The NFU, which represents 55,000 member farmers across England and Wales, has voted that on the balance of existing evidence available to the organisationat present, the interests of UK farmers are best served by their continuing membership of the European Union.
The meeting of the council to vote took place on Monday 18 April and looked at, among other issues, the implications for the UK's agricultural trade with the EU and the rest of the world, the balance of risks of a national farm policy versus the CAP, the impact of the agricultural uncertainty following a vote to leave, the potential impacts for the wider food chain, the consequence for farming regulation, in or out, and the consequences for agricultural labour availability.
Like the UFU, which gave a similar view on the Brexit referendum back in February, the NFU will not be actively campaigning in the referendum, it will not be joining with any campaign groups and it will not, in any circumstances, advise its members how to vote.
The NFU said "recognises and respects the diversity of views among its membership. The NFU’s position is based solely on an evaluation of the agricultural merits of the case and the NFU is fully aware there are many wider issues at stake."
The organisation added that whether the vote is to stay or leave Europe, the NFU "will always lobby to obtain the best possible deal for British farmers".
The NFU has taken two reports to its members. The first looked at the key questions remaining on the impact on farming should the UK leave the EU. The second report commissioned by Dutch University Wageningen looked at the impact of direct payments and access to markets based on three models where the UK leaves the EU and then faces three different scenarios.
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