WITH JUST over a month to go til Brexit, Defra minister Michael Gove and Scottish rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing this week shared a stage in Edinburgh – and politely agreed to disagree on several key points arising from the political upheaval ahead.

In the run up to the meeting, which was attended by a broad selection of industry representatives, Mr Ewing had pushed Mr Gove to clarify the UK government's farm spending commitments over the Brexit transition period, specifically whether the promise to maintain the same 'farm support' budget until the end of the parliament covered the Scottish Pillar Two funding currently spent on LEADER, food and drink, forestry and agri-environment schemes – the total value of which is around £120m annually.

However, Mr Gove determinedly stick to the Defra line that '100% of current farm support budgets' would be maintained, and Mr Ewing noted in his post-debate comments that the matter remained unresolved, in writing at least.

Mr Gove also used the event to insist that there was 'no evidence' of a loss of EU workers in advance of Brexit, to audible grumbles from the horticulture and processing sector representatives present. He did, however, concede that the £30k benchmark for what constituted a skilled job worthy of granting immigrant workers UK access to perform had been pitched too high for some agricultural businesses, and was likely to be amended.

However, the spectre of a no-deal Brexit dominated the encounter, with Mr Gove pushing the argument that it was best avoided through Scots MPs adding their support to Theresa May's unpopular exit deal, and Mr Ewing insisting that it was 'feckless and reckless' to leave even the possibility of no-deal on the table at all, given the damage that it would do to UK businesses, not least Scottish agriculture.

Speaking after the debate, NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick said: “The final date for Brexit is getting closer and closer every day and we do not have a solid deal signed off by everyone involved. Scotland’s farmers and crofters need robust contingency measures put in place for a ‘no deal’. In particular we need to see the UK Government committed to defend the interests of our sectors in the event of a ‘no deal’ outcome, by ensuring that necessary tariffs are applied to third-country imports and financial assistance is available where necessary.

“Farming is not an industry you can switch off and on like a tap, our members plan months and years in advance, and we need our politicians to give us the certainty that will allow us to do so. Scottish farmers and crofters need to know what environment their businesses will be operating in, come March 29," said Mr McCornick.

“Defra have committed to maintaining funding up to 2022 but Scottish farmers and crofters need more than that. We need assurances from Defra and HM Treasury that the quantum of the funding will be maintained beyond that point. Future support is critical for every sector in Scottish agriculture, which is why it is so important that all sectors and regions are fairly funded."