The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
NFUS claims tariff warnings ignored
The farmers’ union’s patience with the UK Government ran out yesterday when it claimed Westminster had ignored repeated warnings over the threat to farming of proposed import tariff schedules.
NFU Scotland (NFUS) president Andrew McCornick said none of the union’s “very real and pressing concerns” had been taken account of by Westminster despite their repeated efforts since the tariff schedule was published in March.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has now asked for a detailed summary of the impact the union expects the proposed import tariff and the tariff rate quota schedule to have on Scottish livestock, cereals, dairy, eggs, pigs and specialist crops.
In turn the union has offered to meet Mr Jack and his officials to discuss their fears.
Mr McCornick said: “The biggest threat to agriculture from a disorderly Brexit is the potential for market shocks and market loss.
“A no-deal exit from the EU would be damaging enough, but a no-deal exit under the proposed tariff regime would hammer Scottish food and farming.
“To date, the UK Government has failed to recognise that asymmetrical treatment of the different agricultural sectors severely exposes those with no tariff protection to competition from agricultural goods, produced to standards that are inequivalent and most probably illegal in the UK, flooding the UK market tariff-free. In NFUS’ view, this is wholly unacceptable.”
He said the UK Government had to be prepared to respond to market disruption if stronger tariff or tariff rate quota protection is not afforded to agriculture, to ensure Scottish farmers and crofters are not crippled.
Mr Jack insisted the government would always back Scottish farmers.
He said: “For too long they have been given a poor deal by the Common Agricultural Policy and we will make sure they have a prosperous future outside of the EU.
“When we get Brexit done by October 31, with or without a deal, we will tailor support better to Scotland’s unique farming environments.”