FARMING minster George Eustice received a grilling from Great Yorkshire Show president Charles Mills over the future of farming in the wake of Brexit.

Mr Eustice said the new agricultural bill would be ready by September – slightly later than anticipated – and that he believed farmers and environmentalists alike would be in approval.

Mr Eustice told Mr Mills free access would continue until at least 2020.

Mr Mills said: "Farmers will deal with whatever is thrown at them, but we want to know what is coming otherwise we can’t plan. "Farming is a long game, whether that is in crop planting or animal breeding.

“There is a great deal of time and economics tied up in farming, and we need to know what we will be up against.”

"Farmers want straightforward assurances now, not in 12 months time."

Mr Eustice said: "We are clear in our position but we do not know what the European Union will do.

"The reality when you decide to leave the EU is that there will be uncertainty. It will depend on what the EU states want but I am confident because the EU wants access to our markets to import its meat and cheese."

Mr Eustice also said there were plans to remove red tape for farmers with a major simplification of the way Government regulates the industry.

The interim report commissioned by Michael Gove outlines a post-Brexit opportunity to build a new relationship between farmers and regulators.

The review estimates 150,000 farm inspections are carried out each year by multiple agencies such as the Rural Payments Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and Natural England to meet the criteria of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. The report discusses the opportunity to conduct more meaningful farm inspections.