Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish farmers must not be losers in any battle over funding between devolved governments and Westminster, farming unions have warned.
NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and Ulster Farmers' Union have repeated their request for UK government to make good on its commitment to farmers in devolved areas that they will not lose out as a result of Brexit.
It comes after a joint letter was sent to Defra Secretary George Eustice by the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland ahead of Wednesday's spending review.
They called for assurances from UK government that all lost EU funding would be fully replaced to provide certainty to the rural economies of their countries.
"Cumulatively you are asking our farming and rural communities to lose out on the following levels of funding over the 2021-22 to 2024-25 period; Scotland – £170.1 million; Wales – £160 million; Northern Ireland – £34 million," the ministers said.
Now the three farming unions have echoed those calls, stating that previous commitments to fund agriculture should be maintained and honoured.
According to NFU Cymru, there is the possibility that Welsh farming and rural communities could 'lose out to the tune of up to £200m'.
The union's President John Davies said this was an 'unacceptable situation': “At a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the sector we cannot afford to lose this support.
"We are a matter of weeks away from the ending of the Brexit transition period, with the potential for significant disruption to our markets for agricultural produce.
"Alongside this we are continuing to deal with the disruption in the UK food supply chain caused by the pandemic and the impact this has had on the food service sector and the buying patterns of the public."
Mr Davies said Welsh farmers were seeking 'urgent reassurances' that their industry 'would not receive a penny less in funding' as the UK moves out of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).
NFU Scotland echoed this, adding that Scottish farmers and crofters 'must have access to the same quantum of funding' as they had under the CAP.
It highlighted how the Conservative Party's manifesto pledges in 2017 and 2019 recognised that the sector should not be disadvantaged financially by Brexit.
"We call on the UK government to ensure that this week’s financial spending review honours that commitment," NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick said.
“A shortfall of the order of £170m for Scotland, as indicated in the joint letter from devolved administrations to George Eustice, is wholly unacceptable and will disadvantage farmers as we enter a potentially chaotic and turbulent post-transition period.
"Greater volatility for market returns is likely and input costs will be unpredictable, so the reliance on promised farm support will increase."
It comes as the government is set to announce its spending review on Wednesday (25 November), covering the 2021-22 financial year.
