UK adviser Abbott joins debate on agriculture

FORMER AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister and UK trade adviser Tony Abbott joined Minette Batters, President of the National Farmers Union ( NFU), in a debate about the future of UK agriculture and trade.

Part of the Oxford Farming Conference ( OFC) Bitesize webinars, which is available to watch on the website, the session titled Farmers in Competition, referred back to a 1990s’ OFC when discussion had been about the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

Marion Regan, OFC Director and webinar chairman said: “This is all about to change for UK farmers as we leave the EU, possibly without a deal, and we will be attempting to make new trade deals with nations around the world who produce food under very different circumstances to us in the UK.”

Tony Abbott, who during his time as Australian Prime Minister closed trade deals with Japan, China, and South Korea, said he knows the importance of maintaining a competitive agricultural environment whilst actively pursuing free trade deals.

“My role is not to negotiate trade deals for Britain, but as someone who helped to finalise deals with Australia’s biggest trade partners that saw our twoway trade grow even faster, my role is to champion trade knowing that the more you trade, the more you prosper.”

Mrs Batters argued that the UK must take a different approach to protect its interests.

“The UK has been a very lazy exporter as we are a prized market and service- based economy. We have to take a very different line on this to protect our countryside.”