Farm subsidies face reform post Brexit

Is Brexit going to see a sea change in agricultural policy: moving from subsidising the industry to safeguarding the countryside, and supporting good agricultural policy?

In essence, the policy implicitly accepts the fact that farming generates positive externalities, with farmer's acting as 'stewards of the landscape'. This is a move away from simply subsidising farmers on the basis of the size of their farms, instead subsidising so-called public goods - or, elements of good practice, although it will be difficult to place a value on these goods.