AGRICULTURAL landlords and tenants are urging MPs to avoid a no-deal Brexit.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) have joined together to warn MPs of the dangers of a no deal Brexit for both landowners and tenants across the South.

The claimed a no deal Brexit would leave all farmers facing significant tariffs on exports or potentially the inability to trade with the EU.

In 2017 this accounted for 60 per cent of all UK food and drink exports, according to CLA.

The organisations said a lack of a secure supply of migrant labour would also leave the danger of crops being unpicked this summer and food rotting in the fields.

CLA president Tim Breitmeyer said: “Leaving the EU without an agreement firmly in place is likely to have disastrous long-term consequences for the nation’s countryside and its rural communities.

“The UK’s future relationship with the EU must include the free and frictionless trade on which so many rural businesses depend. A no deal scenario would throw this into doubt. It is crucial that all MPs and the Government work together to ensure a deal is in place before March 29.”

TFA chief executive George Dunn added: “Both landlords and tenants need the confidence to invest for the future and the ramifications of a no deal Brexit would put that in jeopardy.

“Farm tenants are proud of the high-quality output for which they are responsible and the thought that these standards could be undermined by cheaper, lower quality imports in a no deal Brexit is a major concern.”