Gove to unveil post-brexit plans

The much heralded UK Agriculture Bill for postbrexit farm policy will be unveiled today by Defra secretary of state Michael Gove.

As expected, the new system for English farmers of public money for public goods will be aimed at fulfilling Gove’s plans for a Green Brexit aimed at “delivering better environmental outcomes”.

He will tell farmers that a seven-year agricultural transition period will give the industry time to adjust and plan for the future. Under the new regime, payments will be divorced from the area of land occupied, with interim pay- ments being based on historic claims subjected to progressive reductions.

A new environmental land management system will start next year in England to reward those who provide the greatest environmental benefit, underpinned by measures to increase productivity.

But as agriculture policy is devolved, the bill sets out primary legislation mostly for England. Gove said that there would be some Ukwide clauses in the bill for policies reserved to the UK government – and discussions would continue with devolved administrations to find common approaches for agriculture for all of the UK.

However, Scotland’s rural economy secretary, Fergus Ewing, said that it must respect the devolved settlements and deliver on the promises made over farm funding and powers to set policy.

He said that while he was not against Uk-wide frameworks in principle, Brexit should not be used as an excuse to “ride roughshod” over Scotland – and there must be “agreement not imposition” – adding that so far the administrations had not reached agreement.

Ewing said the bill should make it clear that Scotland could continue to make decisions which were in the best interests for their rural communities, and stressed the need to ensure that funding was at least the same as current levels.