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National Farmers’ Union president Minette Batters has taken a swipe at former prime minister Boris Johnson for adopting a “morally bankrupt” position during post-Brexit trade talks with the US.
Negotiations between the UK and Canada on a post-Brexit trade deal have broken down after nearly two years, following a row over beef and cheese. / Canada has been pushing for the UK to relax a ban on hormone-treated beef, which its producers say in effect shuts them out of the British market.
Post-Brexit controls on food, plant and animal imports to Britain from the EU have come into force.
The NFU warned Britain had been left for years without proper checks and balances on food imports from EU.
Has British farming reached crisis point? Farmers say Brexit & free trade deals are risking our food security
28/08/2023
Worried farmers hit out at the government, telling NationalWorld it “has no interest in protecting the agricultural industry at all”.
THE UK Government has been accused of treating Scotland’s farmers as “expendable” as the trade deal with Australia comes into effect.
As the UK-Australia trade deal comes into force, those close to the negotiations reflect on their dramatic — and farcical — climax.
How Boris blundered into £10bn Australia trade deal concession scrawled on paper in the loo
02/06/2023
‘Your boss has conceded the whole kingdom’, Australian negotiator said to have told Liz Truss.
Could take ‘decades’ to shift away from reliance on overseas staff, say food sector leaders attending Downing Street summit.
The war in Ukraine and Brexit has led to serious problems for Kent farmers.
Three big retailers are placing limits on shoppers on some produce lines. What is behind the rationing?
More support needed, says union – as Keir Starmer vows ‘better trading relationship’ with EU will help farmers.
Local MP Richard Thomson has highlighted a report from an All-Party Parliamentary Group which has found “unwelcome detrimental impacts on livelihoods” as a result of Brexit.
NFU President Minette Batters said the UK-New Zealand deal, as with the one signed early this year with Australia, has little benefit for British farmers and that a coherent approach is needed to bolster UK farming’s productivity.
The Government’s Fantasy Food Strategy
07/08/2022
The government’s food strategy lacks detail or any plans for implementation, and it is contradicted by its other policies.
Cabinet minister in ‘complete denial’ over Brexit harm to Britain’s economy which experts put at £31 billion
13/06/2022
Treasury silent on damage being caused by Brexit to Britain’s economy and Bank of England accused of being reluctant to talk about it.
Changes to the agricultural sector following Brexit have been poorly received by English farmers, with many confused by “contradictory” policies.
NFU president tells conference ministers have no understanding of how food production works. / Food producers have said the challenges they face are “the toughest in a generation” as members of the National Farmers’ Union met for their annual conference after the first full year of Brexit.
Farmers sound alarm as more than 40,000 pigs are culled and meat thrown away due to Brexit and pandemic
22/02/2022
An estimated 200,000 pigs are backed up on farms because of a lack of skilled butchers to process them, while 40,000 animals have already been culled and their meat thrown away, farmers said this morning.
Talk at this week’s NFU conference will be alive with financial, labour and competition concerns.
Minette Batters: ‘I feared farmers would be used as a pawn in trade deals – and that’s what happened’
29/01/2022
The NFU president has been dismayed by the government’s post-Brexit deals, but has vowed to fight on for British producers
Minette Batters decries trade deal with Australia and New Zealand. / The president of the National Farmers’ Union has accused the government of using British food producers as a “pawn” in post-Brexit trade deals.
Minette Batters Interview: The Farming Industry Has Been Ignored Over Post-Brexit Trade Deals
10/01/2022
From driving a tractor to driving government policy, NFU chief Minette Batters talks about the many challenges facing farming.
Fears for farmers and anger over dropping of pledge to bind Australia to crucial climate temperature limit.
Senior Tory MP warns Brexit ‘destroying’ British agriculture and condemns government failure to act
15/12/2021
A furious Neil Parish laid into Kevin Foster, the immigration minister, for ignoring a recommendation to make it easier to bring in EU butchers and other workers – leading to a huge shortage.