British Agriculture Hangs in the Balance of the Brexit

If anything is certain in the days following the Brexit vote, it is that much remains undecided. Article 50, the starting point for the two-year negotiation process to finalize the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, likely will not be triggered until the country has a new prime minister, probably in September or October. Without formal notification of the United Kingdom's intention to leave the Continental bloc, the European Union's hands are legally tied. Beyond the political uncertainties in Britain and Europe alike, many of the logistical aspects of the split remain unsettled. Regardless of when — and indeed, whether — the rupture happens, political maneuvering to pin down details of future regulation and trade will certainly precede it. A major focus of negotiation will likely be the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), a cornerstone of the European Union that accounts for roughly 40 percent of its budget. If the United Kingdom withdraws from CAP when it exits the European Union, it will have serious consequences for the British agricultural sector.