Boris Johnson has been warned against forming a trade deal with Australia that could ‘decimate’ British farming.
The Cabinet is reportedly split over how much access to offer Australian farmers in the free trade agreement that could scrap all tariffs on meat imports.
However, the Prime Minister seems determined to push through a free-trade deal with Australia despite warnings from the National Farmers’ Union over the “irreversible damage” it would do to UK agriculture.
NFU president Minette Batters, has warned that a zero-tariff, zero-quota agreement could throw British family farms “under the bus”. She said the UK government must recognise that British farming, working to its high current standards, will struggle to compete.
Scott Walker, chief executive of NFU Scotland, expressed concern about the impact on Scottish beef producers who farm small herds. “Our market is finely balanced and extra imports, produced to lower standards than required here could drop our prices considerably,” he said.
“Granting free access to our markets to Australia would set a dangerous precedent and would see New Zealand, South America and certain African nations clamouring for similar arrangements. That is why this potential deal is so dangerous for Scottish farming.”
LSL News.