The NFU has said that on the ‘balance of evidence available the interests of farmers are best served by the UK’s continuing membership of the European Union’.

However, the NFU says it “will not be actively campaigning in the referendum; it will not be joining with any campaign groups and it will not, in any circumstances, advise its members how to vote”.

It adds, “We recognise and respect the diversity of views among the membership. The NFU’s position is based solely on an evaluation of the agricultural merits of the case and the NFU is fully aware there are many wider issues at stake.”

It is, however, the case that the Electoral Commission rules governing the referendum in effect mean that the NFU will be required to register to enable it to continue to carry out its essential role of informing members of the issues as they affect farmers.

The NFU announcement on 18 April, followed a series of 28 roadshows with members discuss and debate the following:

• The implications for our agricultural trade with the EU and the rest of the world
• The balance of risks of a national farm policy versus the CAP
• The impact of the agricultural uncertainty following a vote to leave
• The potential impacts for the wider food chain
• The consequence for farming regulation, in or out
• The consequences for agricultural labour availability
• The consequence for agricultural product approvals
• The consequences for science and R&D relating to agriculture

As a result the NFU have circulated two reports to its members:

1. Key questions remaining on the impact on farming should the UK leave the EU

2. Report commissioned by Dutch University Wageningen looked at the impact of direct payments and access to markets based on three models where the UK leaves the EU and then faces three different scenarios