Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. June 2025
    3. 2025 Innovation supplement
    4. May 2025
    5. April 2025
    6. March 2025
    7. 2025 Buildings supplement
    8. February 2025
    9. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    14. October 2024
    15. September 2024
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. June 2024
    20. 2024 Innovation supplement
    21. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    22. May 2024
    23. April 2024
    24. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    25. March 2024
    26. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    27. February 2024
    28. January 2024
    29. December 2023
    30. November 2023
    31. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    32. October 2023
    33. September 2023
    34. Health Supplement
    Featured

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Brexit

A liberal Brexit trade policy could put farmers out of business, MPs warn

Alistair DriverBy Alistair DriverFebruary 19, 20184 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

The NPA has welcomed a report from MPs that calls for the Government to ensure any new post-Brexit trade agreements do not compromise the UK’s high food production standards.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee published a report on the implications of Brexit for trade in food on Sunday. The report can be viewed here 

The report concluded that there is no guarantee that a free trade agreement with the EU will be reached. The resulting imposition of WTO tariffs could possibly result in higher costs for consumers, but lead to beneficial import displacement, notably for the pig sector, given the UK is currently only 56% self-sufficient in pigmeat, although the need for carcase balance would be a limiting factor here.

But the report warns that a ‘liberalisation’ that saw a lowering on tariff and non-tariff barriers in future trade agreements could lead to cheaper imports, produced to lower welfare standards, and damage British producers. Removing tariffs ‘could put many UK farmers out of business and render the UK dependent on imported food’, the MPs concluded.

The report said the agricultural industry needed clarity on the Government’s long-term vision, as reverting to WTO tariffs would have a significant impact on agriculture, given that tariffs are higher for agricultural products than for other goods and services

Key recommendations

Some of the key recommendations for Government included:

  • It should consider creating a fund to support the UK’s agricultural sector as it adapts to the post-Brexit environment.
  • It should publish a sector-by-sector analysis of the impact of Brexit before the publication of the Agriculture Bill, and publish the Bill as soon as possible.
  • It should begin to develop relationships at a political level with potential new trading partners.
  • It should ensure that any new agreements are not to the detriment of the UK’s high animal welfare, environmental, or food standards.
  • It should make clear how it will deal with potential regulatory divergence with the EU, and ensure that protected geographical indicators are retained in a similar form after the UK leaves the EU.
  • It should agree Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) for the agricultural sectors as soon as possible.
  • It must set out how it will ensure that IT systems and infrastructure are in place for the import and export of agricultural produce after we leave the EU.
  • Investment is needed in export certification systems and border inspection posts.

EFRA chair Neil Parish said: “We should under no circumstances compromise on our world-renowned animal welfare, environmental, and food standards. Brexit should be an opportunity to improve, not undermine, our global reputation for quality.”

NPA response

NPA senior policy advisor Ed Barker, who gave evidence in front of the committee, said the report also covered a number of issues specific to the pig industry.

He said: “The report highlighted the UK pig sector’s potential for further growth domestically and the need for effective marketing of our products abroad. It also reflected our concerns about the need for carcase balance to be taken into account in any assessment of the potential impact on the pork sector of new post-Brexit trading arrangements.

“The Committee noted the potential for more targeted regulations after we leave the EU.

“It also picked up on the current threat posed by African Swine Fever (ASF) and the devastating impact an outbreak would have on trade, and highlighted the need for an effective domestic policy on disease surveillance and prevention after we leave the EU.”

NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said: “Overall this was a very positive report that reflected many of the issues we raised in our evidence.

“We wholeheartedly agree with the need for clarity on the Government’s long-term vision for post-Brexit trading as this will have an enormous impact on the pig sector.

“We are pleased to see the Committee echo the industry’s concerns about the need to protect our high production standards in future trade deals.

“But we also agree that Brexit brings fresh opportunities, for example, in finding new markets, better regulation and incentives to invest under a new farm support system.”

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleIt’s getting better
Next Article NPA outlines five reasons to vote before election deadline
Alistair Driver

Editor Pig World, group editor Agronomist and Arable Farmer and Farm Contractor. National Pig Association webmaster. Former political editor at Farmers Guardian. Occasional media pundit. Brought up on a Leicestershire farm. Works from a shed in his Oxfordshire garden.

Read Similar Stories

GB pig prices for week ending July 5, 2025 – SPP bounces back to reach year high

July 9, 2025

Nutrient Action Programme could destroy NI pig sector, UFU warns

July 9, 2025

Straw prices for the week ending July 13, 2025

July 9, 2025
Latest News

GB pig prices for week ending July 5, 2025 – SPP bounces back to reach year high

July 9, 2025

Nutrient Action Programme could destroy NI pig sector, UFU warns

July 9, 2025

Comment: British pork reimagined: Data-led marketing for a changing consumer

July 9, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1759 North Yorkshire

    • North Yorkshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1758 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Experienced Pig Stockperson – Ref 1757 South East England

    • South East England
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.