The first stage of the NFU’s post-Brexit member consultation comes to a close in England this Friday 16 September.
 
The once in a generation consultation, launched to gauge union members’ feelings about future agriculture policy after the Brexit vote was delivered in June, is the largest such undertaking in the union’s history. Thousands of NFU members have attended more than 50 meetings around the country o discuss the issue. All of the NFU’s 50,000 strong membership have received a copy of the consultation document and a questionnaire.

A consultation with NFU Cymru’s members will end on 23 September.
 
NFU has said that members’ feedback will help its board chairs and officeholder team draw up the union’s vision for future domestic farming policy. NFU officeholder responsibilities have been divided between the three NFU leaders. NFU President Meurig Raymond will focus on trade; NFU Deputy President Minette Batters will lead on labour; and NFU Vice President Guy Smith will lead on the domestic agriculture policy.

Although the country’s biggest farm union has not yet formally entered into the debate, others have set out their visions for farm policy in an independent Britain, including the Landworkers Alliance, Tenant Farmers Association, CPRE,  the National Trust, and prominent academics and research organisations, including economists from LSE and Oxford University, who made recommendations to policy makers just last week. The majority of these parties have demanded an end to area-based subsidies and a greater focus on conservation and restoring natural processes on which farming - and much other human activity - relies, including protections for soils and water.
 
Commenting on the NFU survey on Wednesday, NFU President Meurig Raymond said, “It is encouraging to see the interest among our members at this unique opportunity to help shape the future of our industry. It is important that post-Brexit the government acts to ensure that its trade, labour and domestic agriculture policies will support a profitable and productive future for the farming industry in the UK.”