The Liberal Democrats are to give the British public a second EU referendum, saying it would "give the final say to the British people".
Their general election manifesto, released today (17 May), stated that a vote on the final Brexit deal would include an option to remain in the EU.
On farming matters, the party said the vote to leave the EU puts farming and agricultural businesses in 'huge danger'.
The manifesto said leaving the EU threatens both cuts to the support which supports farmers’ livelihoods and ability to manage the countryside, and also tariffs on exports.
For agricultural products outside the EU, tariffs average 22.3% – putting Britain’s £18 billion of food exports in danger.
The Liberal Democrats said a system is needed that supports farmers, ensures food production, and protects the environment.
Key pledges
• Continue a campaign to reform agricultural subsidies – making sure British farming remains competitive and doesn’t lose out in the event of Britain leaving the EU.
The manifesto says that subsidies must rebalance away from direct subsidy and refocus support towards the public goods that come from effective land management including countryside protection, flood prevention, food production, and climate change mitigation.
The manifesto says that this would ensure that smaller farms are protected and move support away from large landowners, whilst delivering a more localised agricultural policy.
• Encourage new and younger entrants to farming by championing different forms of ownership including longer tenancies, share farming, and community ownership.
• Introduce a National Food Strategy to promote the production and consumption of healthy, sustainable and affordable food.
• Increase the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator and extend its remit to include businesses further up the supply chain, helping to ensure that farmers receive a fair price.
• Improve standards of animal health and welfare in agriculture by updating farm animal welfare codes and promoting the responsible stewardship of antibiotic drugs.
• Ensure that future trade deals require high safety, environmental and animal welfare standards for food imports, including clear and unambiguous country of origin labelling for meat and dairy products.
• Develop 'safe, effective, humane, and evidence-based ways' of controlling bovine TB, including by investing to produce workable vaccines.
Farming manifestos
Labour has officially launched their manifesto. The manifesto pledges an end to the badger cull, a ban on neonicotinoids and the promotion of ‘cruelty free farming’.
Welsh political party Plaid Cymru has also released their manifesto, calling for a Brexit deal which best represents Welsh agriculture.
Numerous rural organisations have released their own manifestos, including the NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland, the CLA, the Soil Association, the Tenant Farmers' Association, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the British Veterinary Association, the Farmers' Union of Wales, the Ulster Farmers' Union, the Agricultural Industries Confederation and the Countryside Alliance.
