SCOTTISH farmers overwhelmingly back a People's Vote as the solution to the current Brexit crisis, according to a new poll.
Readers of The Scottish Farmer were asked for their view on how the political stalemate could be broken – with the full results available on its website.
The paper's editor said it had become clear farmers' support for Brexit on the grounds of less red tape was a "pipe dream".
READ MORE: Why a People’s Vote causes all sorts of problems for independence
The options presented in the poll were Prime Minister Theresa May's current deal, a new deal, a no-deal Brexit, a second referendum or a general election.
A fresh vote on our membership of the European Union was backed by 53% in the online poll – well ahead of the second top option of no deal, which received 30%.
Holding a General Election was the third most poplar choice, but that was only preferred by 7% of voters. Fewer than 5% backed May's current deal or a new deal.
"In many ways the margins in this vote is surprising, not the least of which it was widely accepted at the time that the farming industry had largely voted to leave the EU," said Ken Fletcher, editor of The Scottish Farmer.
"On reflection, it has become clear that their wish for less red tape and bureaucratic meddling was nothing more than a pipe dream and more than 50% think a second Brexit referendum should be the outcome.
“In fact, it is becoming ever more apparent that regulatory processes will remain complicated by EU conformity and even if trade deals are struck elsewhere, then there might have to be different levels of conformity to make the best of those too, creating a two-tier administrative level. That’s adding red tape, not reducing it.”
Fletcher added, though, that it was significant from the poll that more than 30% favoured a no-deal Brexit as the outcome, even though it is now better known what this would mean for the industry. There could be winners and losers from that scenario.
He said: “Currently, arable farmers have seen their grain crop valued at £20 more per tonne than last season driven by the low value of sterling which has acted as a brake on imports.
"Any failure to secure a deal would hit sterling again, giving a further fillip for them. However, 'no deal’ would decimate the sheep industry which relies heavily on tariff-free exports.
“There are around 2.6 million ewes in Scotland producing 3 million finished lambs per year, worth about £200m. Strategically, Scotland has 20% of the UK breeding flock and the vast majority of production from this is shipped south for slaughter and further travel to Europe, mainly France.
"No deal would automatically place tariffs on this trade which would make it uneconomic for us to compete.”
Asked for their response to the results, industry leaders told The Scottish Farmer that they were unsurprised.
Angus McCall of the Scottish Tenant Farmers Association told the paper: "Most folk I talk to favour a second referendum.
"The general feeling is that a 'no-deal' Brexit would be disastrous for Scottish agriculture and the current government has lost direction and will be incapable of brokering a deal through the parliament.
"The only practical way to put an end the impasse in Westminster is to go back to the electorate and ask whether the UK should carry on with the Brexit project or abandon it.
"We will need to postpone Article 50 to do this and if the second vote is to carry on and leave, the government will have to go back to Brussels and renegotiate a settlement which will command agreement of a majority of MPs.
"The ship now needs a new rudder and reconditioned engine!"
John Fyall, Scottish chairman of the National Sheep Association, suggested that remaining in the EU should have been included as an option in the poll.
He said that the majority who favoured a second referendum would have opted for this, and that the country's sheep sector had always been aware of the value of the EU market.
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