MP demands more certainty for Cumbria’s farmers after confidence hits new low

A survey of over 700 British farmers conducted by the NFU showed that short-term confidence has turned negative for the first time since April 2016.

Meanwhile mid-term confidence has hit an all-time low, since the survey began in 2010.

As a result, more than one in 5 farmers who completed the survey said they were intending to decrease investment over the next 12 months because of the uncertainty surrounding Britain’s departure from the EU.

Tim said: “We’re just weeks away from the Conservative government potentially taking us out of the biggest trading block in the world without a deal, so it’s little wonder that confidence amongst farmers has hit an all-time low.”

Mr Farron said that WTO rules would mean that tariffs of at least 40 per cent would be added to lamb exports to countries in the EU, with 90 per cent of British hill farmers’ exports currently going to those countries.

He added: “There can be no shying away from the fact that a no deal exit would decimate the industry.

“Our hill farmers are absolutely vital to our economy, our environment and our ability to feed ourselves – for their future, the Government must take no deal off the table now.”