UK farming unions urge ban on Brazilian meat imports

Four major UK farming unions—the National Farmers’ Union, NFU Scotland, Ulster Farmers’ Union, and NFU Cymru—have issued a joint letter to Defra Secretary of State Angela Eagle urging an immediate ban on Brazilian meat imports. The unions are calling for a UK-wide prohibition on Brazilian Products of Animal Origin (POAO) starting September 3, to align with European Union restrictions.

The EU ban follows Brazil’s inability to demonstrate compliance with rules regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which aim to prevent the development of antibiotic-resistant infections. The unions warned that failing to implement similar restrictions could jeopardize public health, threaten UK farm businesses, and undermine consumer confidence in the beef and poultry sectors.

According to the unions, UK farmers have significantly reduced antibiotic use, with a voluntary reduction of nearly 60% since 2014. They expressed concern that the UK could become a target market for Brazilian products displaced from the EU. Furthermore, they noted a risk to consumer transparency, as much Brazilian meat enters the UK food service sector, which does not require country-of-origin labeling.