Farming is being touted as a key deciding issue in the debate on Britain’s EU membership, ahead of the vote on 23rd June, but with no clear information available on what government agriculture policy would look like in an independent Britain, farm unions are having a hard time declaring for either side.

The Westminster government has repeatedly stated that a vote to leave the EU would be a ‘leap into the dark’ and, whilst pro-Brexit politicians like farming minister George Eustice have speculated about what they would like to see from an independent British government, ministers loyal to the remain campaign have not discussed in any detail possible outcomes of a vote to leave.

Giving evidence to a meeting of Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee in Glasgow on Monday, NFU Scotland's Vice President Andrew McCormick said, "With debate on the referendum gathering pace, it is important that farming has a voice in any scrutiny given to the issue ahead of the vote on 23 June. Not only is it important to discuss the likely scenarios for [the] agricultural sector should we leave the EU, but it is also relevant to consider what we can hope to achieve from the reform agenda for Europe.”

He continued, “It therefore becomes all the more important that key issues such as the future of agricultural support, access for Scottish produce to European markets, and the movement of labour are given prominence in the debate so that farmers and crofters can make an informed decision come referendum day.”

In England, the NFU has not taken an official position ahead of June’s vote, but the NFU Council has adopted a resolution stating it believes Britain’s farmers would be better served within the EU. NFU Scotland has said that, on balance, the union is in favour of remaining part of the EU, but has refused to campaign for either side, saying “it is not for the Union to tell its members in any way how they should use their vote.”

Figures released last week by the NFU suggested that more union members want to remain part of the EU than would opt to leave. However, the remain camp appears to have lost support since November, whilst the number of union members who are undecided has grown with just six weeks to go before the referendum. Whilst 69% of union members quizzed in spring 2016 said the NFU should take a position ahead of the referendum, 43% of farmers said they were unsure whether UK agriculture’s interests were best served within the EU (36% said they would opt to remain, 21% would choose to leave).

An in-depth survey of members by small farm union the Landworkers' Alliance revealed 80% of the LWA membership would prefer to remain within the EU, with farming issues amongst the most important factors in members’ decision making. Almost 50% of union members quizzed said LWA should remain neutral but seek to provide facts and ‘counter spin’ put out by both sides of the debate, with a smaller number saying the union should campaign for one or other side and very few expressing uncertainty or stating the union should stay out of the process altogether.

NFU Scotland will be hosting EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan at an EU Referendum debate on 19th May at the Highland Showground.