FARMERS across Dorset are braced for a period of "huge uncertainty" in the coming months, the National Farmers Union (NFU) says.

The NFU, which represents 48,000 UK farming businesses had backed the Remain campaign. Farmers benefit from more than £2 billion a year in subsidies from Europe's Common Agricultural Policy, money which the Leave campaign promised to protect.

Speaking shortly after the referendum result was announced, NFU Dorset branch chairman Trevor Cligg told the Daily Echo: "I'm still in shock to be honest, but the thing is we are where we are.

"Nothing is certain in any respect now, anything could happen over the next weeks, months and years.

He said the NFU's focus over the next few months must be to shape a new common agricultural policy in a way that will protect British agriculture and jobs.

As well as exporting large amounts of produce to the EU, Britain's farming industry hires regular seasonal labour from Europe.

Mr Cligg, who runs a 1,000 acre organic dairy farm with 600 cattle, said: "The only thing that is certain now is that there will be uncertainty - and that will be the same for all sections of the economy.

"However, we will be trying our best to influence and shape whatever happens to the best advantage of NFU members."

Meanwhile, Dorset farmer James Cossins - who runs a 2,200 acre dairy, beef and arable farm at Tarrant Monkton - said the key now is to work with whoever is in power to "keep a viable agricultural industry going."

He explained: "We do sell a lot of our products to Europe. I thought we were better off in Europe, but the country has decided to leave so we have to work out what we are going to do in the transition period.

"Hopefully our government will support so we can continue to supply food. Economically, at the moment, we do get some help from Europe, so it will be interesting to see what support the government will give us.

"Will food prices go up? This remains uncertain. Now the decision has been made we've got to move forward and try and work together.

"Hopefully there will be opportunities in markets for our produce, and hopefully we will get less EU regulation - but this won't happen overnight."

NFU president Meurig Raymond said: "The vote to leave the European Union will inevitably lead to a period of uncertainty in a number of areas that are of vital importance to Britain's farmers.

"The NFU will engage fully and constructively with the British government to construct new arrangements. This needs to happen as soon as possible.

"Our members will rightly want to know the impact on their businesses as a matter of urgency. We understand that the negotiations will take some time to deliver but it is vital that there is early commitment to ensure British farming is not disadvantaged.

"It is vital that British farming is profitable and remains competitive, it is the bedrock of the food industry - Britain's largest manufacturing sector," he said.