The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Meurig Raymond has met with the newly appointed Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, for the first time since the General Elections on 8th June.

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NFU president Meurig Raymond with Environment Secretary Michael Gove. [Photo credit: NFU].

During the meeting, which took place at the Royal Three Counties Show, they spoke about the policy of priorities for the farming sector, the critical issues it faces, as well as opportunities in a post-Brexit future.

Raymond spoke to Gove about the sector’s importance to the economy, as it is worth £109 billion, employing 3.8 million people and looking after 70% of the nation’s land.

Raymond commented: “I stressed the need for certainty as a constant theme of Defra’s activity going forward into Brexit negotiations.

“When the UK exits the EU, farming businesses need to know what trading and regulatory environment, what labour we’ll have access to and what a domestic agricultural policy looks like.”

He added that Brexit aside, there are still key issues for the industry, including access to plant protection products, the implementation of the Government’s 25-year TB eradication strategy and the rehabilitating impact of rural crime.

He added: “Following up on the letter I wrote to the Secretary of State when he was appointed, I reinforced the message that our shared aim is to ensure a productive, progressive and profitable future for British farmers and assurance to British public.”

This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.