FOUR UK farming unions have agreed a set of priorities for achieving the best Brexit outcome for UK farming.

NFU Cymru was among the unions calling on the UK government to get behind farmers and the high quality, safe and affordable food they produce.

In a statement the UK presidents said: “A well-managed Brexit must herald an agricultural revolution. Enabling UK farmers to continue to deliver high quality, safe, affordable and responsibly produced food for all UK consumers, whatever their income. Our farming and food sector has some of the best standards of food safety, animal welfare and traceability in the world.

“Brexit should celebrate these standards and new third country trade agreements must not undermine them.

“Alongside food production, UK farmers manage 70 per cent of the UK land. Our efforts to manage the environment are critical. Healthy soils, clean water, vibrant wildlife and managed landscapes are both the result and underpinning of sustainable food production.

“Brexit is going to bring fundamental change to our sector. A sector that has been driven by European farm and environmental regulation for over 40 years. While we are leaving the political union, we must retain frictionless access to European markets."

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