1. Introduction

The United Kingdom (UK) Referendum of 23 June 2016 produced a majority of 51.9 per cent in favour of leaving the European Union (EU), as opposed to 48.1 per cent against. Subsequently, on 29 March 2017, the UK formally served notice of its intention to withdraw pursuant to Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union.[2] And, in consequence, the EU Treaties will cease to apply to the UK two years from this notification unless the European Council, in agreement with the UK, unanimously decides to extend the two-year period.[3] The potential impact of such events on UK agriculture is, without doubt, immense. Not only has the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) delivered substantial support to farmers, amounting to €3,927 million for the EU 2016 financial year,[4] but broader EU regulation has influenced heavily so many aspects of primary production, with increasing emphasis on measures to address the environment, climate change and the use of both pesticides and herbicides. Further, Brexit has the capacity materially to disturb trade flows if the UK leaves the Single Market. And, in this regard, the exposure of the Netherlands is particularly great, in that the Netherland is the EU country which exports the most food, feed and drink to the UK, some £5.1 billion in value in 2016.[5]

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