FARMERS’ leaders have written to the Scottish Secretary after they said repeated warnings about a damaging No-Deal Brexit tariff schedule were ignored.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) Scotland has, since March, raised concerns over the UK Government’s proposed temporary tariff regime in the event of no deal being reached, but said the latest schedule published this week was largely unchanged.
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Along with its most recent letter to the Alister Jack, the union has – at his request – given a detailed summary of the impacts the proposed import tariff and tariff rate quotas would have on Scottish livestock, cereals, dairy, eggs, pigs and specialist crops.
NFU Scotland president, Andrew McCornick, said: “The biggest threat to agriculture from a disorderly Brexit is the potential for market shocks and market loss. A ‘No Deal’ exit from the EU would be damaging enough, but a ‘No Deal’ exit under the proposed tariff regime would hammer Scottish food and farming.”
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Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP Ian Blackford, meanwhile, has warned that farmers will feel “betrayed” by the Government’s latest No-Deal Brexit plans.
The SNP Westminster leader has spoken out in support of the NFU, and shares its view that the proposed temporary tariff regime puts homegrown produce at a serious disadvantage: “With tariffs of up to 84% on our world-renowned Scotch beef or almost 50% on Scotch lamb, it’s no exaggeration to say that a No Deal will devastate key sectors of our local economy.”
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