A positive Brexit deal for agriculture could be an opportunity to focus financial support on productivity, resilience and investment, Essex farmers were told this month.

Speaking at a breakfast seminar hosted by land agents Savills, Nick von Westenholz, the National Farmers’ Union’s (NFU) director for EU Exit and International Trade, said his organisation’s key priorities were trade, labour, regulation and future domestic agricultural policy, and he presented alternative scenarios for farm support, which was “critical”.

“It’s a political hot potato and we have come up with a package which we think will encourage farming to be competitive, profitable and progressive.” A “positive” deal would mean a focus on productivity, efficiency, competitiveness and investment in R&D, he said. Savills’ Mike Horton advised farmers to put half their farm subsidy aside and work out how they can diversify.