Britain's Farms Would Thrive Outside EU

Government officials spend their days fretting about whether they are complying with European regulation. It’s time to take back control by leaving.

By George Eustice, Minister of State for Farming

Shortly after becoming Farming Minister, I received a submission asking me to rule on an appeal for a support payment. The farmer’s wife—who handled all the paperwork—had passed away. Understandably, he missed the deadline. At each stage of the appeal process, officials sympathised but insisted that strict EU rules meant he must forfeit the entire payment.

I disagreed and instructed that he be paid. A few days later, anxious lawyers and officials arrived to explain the “risks” of EU regulations and asked me to reconsider. This debate dragged on for six months.

The Burden of EU Regulation

The reality of EU law is that even the simplest tasks become curiously complicated and often impossible. Some 80 percent of DEFRA legislation originates in Brussels, and roughly 40 percent of all EU regulations affecting the UK fall under its remit.

Rules dictate everything from the number of inspections to the precise size of farm gateways, the width of hedges, and even whether cabbage and cauliflower count as separate crops. Compliance is enforced by a system of penalties called “disallowance,” under which EU auditors can levy percentage fines on the entire CAP budget for any perceived breach.

Risk Aversion and Fines

This complex web of regulation and undetermined fines creates a climate of perpetual legal jeopardy. Every Farming Minister lives in fear of “disallowance risk.” No one truly knows where they stand, because it all depends on the mood of an auditor on a given day. Even the most diligent efforts to comply will inevitably result in fines—currently around £100 million annually for trivial, perceived mistakes.

“Politicians go through phases of blaming the civil service for these problems…That’s unfair. They are not making it up.”

In fact, “gold plating” is imposed by EU auditors, not our own officials. We have tried reform—arguing for coherence in the Common Agricultural Policy—but with 28 member states, each with different agricultural systems and politics, true reform is near impossible.

Time to Take Back Control

So what of the farmer who lost his wife to cancer? I overruled everyone and paid him. Perhaps we’ll be fined. But we shouldn’t have to endure this nonsense any longer. I see exceptional talent and technical expertise within DEFRA, yet it is stifled by EU bureaucracy. Rather than innovating, our policy teams spend every day fretting over compliance.

With the courage to take back control, we could unleash fresh ideas and achieve so much more for our farmers and our environment.

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