EU referendum: Union 'is a farm museum' claim by MP Owen Paterson

The north Shropshire MP told members of the Crop Protection Association that to feed the world agriculture had to embrace modern technology and science.

He described the European Union as a "museum of world farming" that was "opposed" to innovation during his speech.

Mr Paterson, a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign, was speaking at a Brexit debate hosted by the association in London.

He said: "The reason why the EU is so far behind is that it has become the museum of world farming because it is almost wholly opposed to modern technology and innovation.

"If we want to feed the world, we had better embrace these technologies, which are growing agricultural production, massively improving efficiency and hugely improving the environment."

He said that, if Britain left the EU, it could embrace the "innovation principle" rather than the "precautionary principle".

Mr Paterson said Europe was falling behind on agri-technology because of hostility towards products such as genetically modified crops and said GM companies were not developing them for the EU markets.

"Blight-free GM potatoes would prevent farmers from having to spray potato crops up to 15 times per season," he said.

"Outside the EU, the UK would get our full seat back on world bodies such as Codex Alimentarius for food and fuel production and the OIE for animals, which ultimately decide regulation, Mr Paterson said.

During the meeting NFU vice-president Guy Smith said he was a big fan of GM technology but said Brexit campaigners must see things in the real world.

"If, in a Brexit scenario, Britain allowed GM crops to be grown in the UK, could we still trade them within the EU?" he asked.

Mr Smith said: "With the French more in charge of the Common Agricultural Policy, because there is no British break-up, I am quite convinced that they would use the CAP and trade regulations within the European Union to shut out British product.

"Where would that leave us?"