Member Article

Farmers Reassured Over EU Funding Government Pledge

Farmers across the region have been given some positive news following the huge amount of uncertainty and worry in the farming industry after the UK decided to leave the EU.

Since the decision to Brexit, European funding schemes that UK farm businesses heavily rely on have been in jeopardy with farmers not knowing whether they’ll still receive the much needed financial support or not.

In a big step forward, the Treasury has announced that it will guarantee EU funded subsidies, grants and projects until the end of 2020, a move welcomed by North East farmers and those across the region’s agricultural sector.

Talking about the Government’s pledge, Robyn Peat, Managing Partner at land, property and business consultancy George F. White said: “Many of our clients are farmers or those who own and manage farm businesses, and funding security has caused them a great deal of worry as we have simply not known what will happen with the funding provided by Europe’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which is absolutely vital to the lifeblood and longevity of our farmers.”

Peat added: “The news comes at a time when the region’s farmers really needed some kind of stability and calm, even if it’s only a short-term solution to a long-term issue - the funding structure for UK farmers in a post-EU UK. We hope the Government continues to address the much needed support that our farmers need and, as work gets underway to figure out how a UK farming economy will work outside Europe, it’s vital that plans are put in place to protect our farmers and set out guarantees for not only their short-term but long-term future too.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by George F White .