Helen shares this latest news from the Country Land and Business Association (CLA). Ed
The CLA is asking MPs in rural areas across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to help secure a strong future for the rural economy and the environment by supporting its New Opportunities campaign.
The organisation, which represents 32,000 landowners, farmers and rural businesses, is running the campaign to ensure that farming, the rural economy and the environment are treated as priorities by Government as the UK prepares for Brexit.
CLA South East Regional Director Robin Edwards said:
“The process of the UK exiting the European Union will lead to the single biggest change in the way we organise and run businesses across the British countryside for generations. The CLA ‘New Opportunities’ Campaign is a chance for people that live and work in the countryside to come together and stand up for rural businesses.
“We are asking MPs to support the campaign and champion a future that allows rural businesses to thrive. Rural businesses, Ministers and MPs must work closely together to ensure that farmers and other rural businesses can have the confidence they need to plan ahead, invest and grow.”
Commitments
The CLA is asking MPs to support the organisation’s work to secure the following priority commitments from Government:
- Deliver a fully-funded world-leading Food, Farming and Environment Policy
- Prioritise agriculture and food exports in Brexit and trade negotiations
- Improve protection for consumers and our environment whilst reducing burdens on business
- Ensure businesses across the rural economy have access to the workers they need to grow their business.
Rural MPs will also be invited to discuss Brexit issues with landowners, farmers and rural businesses at the CLA New Opportunities events which are taking place this month at locations across the South East. These events will provide CLA members with the latest updates, analysis and advice, as well as providing a forum for discussion and consultation.
The CLA has published the first three in a series of four New Opportunities briefings, each exploring a priority Brexit issue for farming and the countryside and setting out the critical decisions that Government must make. These publications can be found online.
Image: © Les Lockhart
