Brexit

New checks on food products entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK will present a ‘significant challenge’ for business, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has said.

Farm groups have cautiously welcomed the Government’s new tariff schedule, which maintains protections for key agricultural products such as lamb, beef, poultry, cheese and butter.

With Covid-19 magnifying the strategic importance of domestic food production following major supply chain disruption, the National Beef Association (NBA) has warned Government must take food security ‘seriously’.

The EU’s anti-innovation approach to policy making has stopped UK farmers benefitting from the latest scientific developments – but now there is an opportunity to change that, says Mark Buckingham, chair of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council.

There is much good in the Agriculture Bill, but its failure to protect farmers from low standard imports is very serious, says Daniel Zeichner, Labour’s Shadow Farming Minister.

Japan is seeking to minimise access to its market for UK food products in any post-Brexit trade deal, a leading expert has warned.

Welsh Government’s failure to consider how to protect food security in its post-Brexit policy proposals was flagged as a major concern by respondents to a key consultation, held before the coronavirus pandemic.

An amendment to the Agriculture Bill which would have banned low standard food imports from entering the UK was defeated in the House of Commons by 51 votes last night.

Refusing to extend the deadline for EU trade talks will weaken the UK’s position and play straight into the hands of the US and others, says Dr Nick Fenwick, FUW head of policy.

With the ongoing health crisis and many farm businesses experiencing cash flow issues, the phase out of BPS should be delayed by one year, says Neil Parish, chair of the Efra Select Committee.