BRITAIN’S three main farming organisations have each cautiously welcomed the delay to Brexit.

Responding to the extension of Article 50 agreed between the UK and EU, NFU president Minette Batters said: “The fact that the UK will not be leaving the EU without a deal and will avoid the catastrophic impacts this would have had will come as welcome news to the thousands of people running Britain’s food and farming businesses.”

However, she said farming, like all businesses, required long-term planning. While this extension provided short-term relief, farmers and growers still faced an uncertain future, which was hugely damaging to a sector worth more than £100bn to the national economy.

“This uncertainty is having real-world business impacts, with investment being put on hold and essential jobs remaining unfilled,” she said.

“We have crops and livestock in fields with farmers and growers still in the dark about what trading environment they will be operating in, whether they will have access to a sufficient workforce to carry out essential roles this season, or what the UK’s domestic agricultural policy will look like.”

The National Sheep Association also cautiously embraced the ‘flextention’, saying it would at least better support sheep meat sales this summer.

Chairman Bryan Griffiths welcomed the fact the country and the industry weren’t thrown into a no-deal scenario.

“It is vital we have the EU markets available to sell our produce and this extended unfettered access, in which we won’t have to face tariffs this season, is greatly appreciated by the sheep industry,” he said.

“But what we can’t afford is to find ourselves six months down the line in the same position, risking a no deal again. We’re relying on our politicians now to come up with a viable solution which moves this process forward”

The CLA, meanwhile, welcomed the ‘breathing space’ Brextension had given.

President Tim Breitmeyer said: “While the continued uncertainty is unsettling, this should be balanced against having enough time to nurture a post-Brexit relationship with the EU which delivers as free and frictionless trade as possible. This has to be the ultimate goal.

“The extra time needs to be used wisely. We need a more consensual approach to negotiations in both Westminster and Brussels than has been the case to date, so a deal can be collectively delivered which meets the needs of farming and the wider economy.”

All three said it was crucial the extension was used constructively to avoid the UK being in the same position in October.