There was a mixed message from delegates at the Oxford Farming Conference on Thursday when they were asked about their thoughts on Brexit’s impact on UK agriculture.
A series of questions were directed to delegates at the end of the afternoon session through an online poll.
Results from the poll indicated that 60% of delegates thought that Brexit will be bad for UK farming in the next five years, with 40% voting that it would be good.
However, when asked about the impact of Brexit on UK farming after 25 years, 74% voted that it would have a good effect and 26% voted that it would have a bad effect.
Will of the conference
The anonymous poll also asked how delegates voted in the referendum in June 2016. The results showed that 76% voted to remain and 24% voted to leave.
When asked how delegates would vote in the event of a second referendum, three options were presented, with 60% voting to remain, 30% backing Theresa May’s current deal and 10% voting to leave with no withdrawal agreement.
#OFC19 chair Tom Allen Stevens opening the political session at @oxfordfarming pic.twitter.com/ILLWKz5Z6a
— Peter McCann (@pmccann_IFJ) 3 January 2019
Defra secretary Michael Gove spoke to delegates earlier in the day and, when asked if they were reassured about the future of UK agriculture after the speech, 60% voted that they were more reassured and 40% were less reassured.
More coverage from the Oxford Farming Coverage is available here and will feature in next week’s NI and Scottish print editions.
SHARING OPTIONS: