Sir, – Much has been said recently about a proposed trade deal with Australia in particular and other likely trading partners in the future, it has been discussed on the national news and not least in The Scottish Farmer. I have to say I very much share the concerns expressed but find myself surprised that enlightened members of the UK Farming Roundtable and indeed Boris Johnson’s Cabinet seem unable to see, or understand there is a bigger picture that needs closer scrutiny. As I might have mentioned before in the column inches that have been afforded to me in The Scottish Farmer in recent years, it became clear to me in the run-up to the referendum in 2016 when both Michael Gove and Boris Johnson cited freedom from the CAP as being reason to vote for Brexit, that farming, and in particular the way in which it has been supported, was going to go through drastic change and I did wonder if they believed Britain should follow the route New Zealand took in 1984.
Canada eyes up UK market amid Australian trade deal
24 May 2021 |
Farmers fear UK concessions to Australia and Canada would open the market to lower-quality imports
Canada is seeking improved access to the UK market for its agri-food exports following news of an Australian trade deal that could include a 15-year transition to zero-tariffs and zero-quotas.
The Canadian government has been closely monitoring the UK s trade negotiations with Australia, according to a report by
“There are areas where we think we can move further on agriculture with the UK, since we are only negotiating with one country rather than 28, a Canadian source told the paper.
Fears farming will suffer in Post-Brexit wrangling
NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy.
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Newton Emerson: Australia trade deal points to future for Northern Ireland Deal could result in best of both worlds for North’s agrifood industry
about an hour ago
Listen now 4:39
Northern Ireland is hardly an agrarian society: agrifood is only 4 per cent of its economy. However, the region is a food exporter and considers food processing an innovative, export-focused industry.
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The UK-Australia trade deal, now in a decisive stage of negotiation, raises fundamental Brexit issues for Northern Ireland that have yet to even register in political debate.
By Harry Holmes2021-05-20T10:19:00+01:00
Source: Unsplash
Experts have sought to downplay the impact an FTA with Australia could have on the UK meat sector
Trade experts sought to calm panic on British farms this week after it emerged the UK was preparing to offer Australia tariff-free access to British food markets.
The British government is reportedly locked in an internal battle over the terms of the deal, according to the Financial Times, with Boris Johnson and trade secretary Liz Truss said to back plans to give Australian goods tariff and quota-free access to the UK market, phased over 10 to 15 years.