Last week I was in Brussels and the reaction to the outcome of the UK election was firstly amusement but also one of confusion and real concern at the mess we had got ourselves into.
Many questions were being asked.
Has the UK position on Brexit now changed?
Was Theresa May’s promise to take us out of the Single Market, Customs Union and the European Court of Justice now dead as she failed to win a majority?
And can a UK Government propped up by the DUP survive long enough to negotiate a Brexit deal?
Real concerns were voiced that a fatal combination of a weakened UK Government and an incredibly short Brexit timetable could cause negotiations to fail and bring the UK crashing out of the EU with no deal.
Brussels viewed that as a disastrous outcome for both sides.
The other big talking point was the new seven-year EU budget proposal.
The bad news for EU farmers was that the UK leaving created an 84billion euros (£74billion) black hole and Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) funding would likely take a big hit.
Farm unions at COPA-COGECA called for France and Germany – the two big net payers into the EU budget – to make up the shortfall.
However Farm Commissioner Hogan warned that there would be a real battle to defend the current level of Cap spending given other spending pressures.
UK farmers facing reductions in farm support post-Brexit may take a little comfort from the fact that their main EU competitors may be facing a similar challenge.
The election also produced a new UK farm minister in Michael Gove.
For the first time since David Miliband was Defra Secretary, UK farmers now have a big hitter sitting in the cabinet.
At education and justice he was radical, willing to take on the vested interests and once he made up his mind drove through the changes he thought were right.
As a Scot who grew up in Aberdeen he will also be the first Defra secretary who understands the Scottish dimension.
For our farm unions Michael Gove’s appointment is a real opportunity but only if they play it right.
If they set out clearly and justify with good sound economic arguments what the agriculture industry needs from Brexit and future UK farm policy he has the political clout to deliver it.
But if they fall back on special pleading and the good old begging bowl routine then I suspect that will play very badly.
Defra is likely to publish an agriculture white paper in the autumn so we won’t have long to wait to find out what Gove thinks.
The election has also changed the political dynamic in Scotland.
The electorate gave the SNP Government a bloody nose in June.
Will that result now change their approach?
Will they engage constructively with the UK Government on key issues such as a new UK farm policy framework?
Or will it be the same old constitutional wrangling and politicking?
I spoke to large numbers of farmers at the Highland Show and they were crystal clear.
They want both Governments to put the politics aside, work together, secure a good Brexit deal and agree the right policy tools to provide a profitable post-Brexit farming future.
* George Lyon is a former Liberal Democrat MEP. He works as a senior consultant for Hume Brophy and sits on the board of levy body organisation AHDB
