Four UK farming unions are urging the government to ban imports of Brazilian meat, warning that inaction poses risks to public health and domestic food production. The groups sent a joint letter to Defra secretary Angela Eagle calling for a UK-wide ban on Brazilian products of animal origin from September 3, aligning with European Union restrictions taking effect the same day.
EU ban triggers UK pressure
The EU imposed its ban after Brazil failed to demonstrate compliance with rules designed to curb antimicrobial resistance. The restrictions also extend to several European Economic Area countries, including Norway. Farming leaders argue the UK cannot afford to lag behind on food safety standards when a proven threat exists.
“Ensuring the health and safety of the nation is a core responsibility of any government and the UK has long recognised the risks posed by AMR,” the union presidents wrote in their letter. The groups stressed that British farmers have invested years in reducing antibiotic use and maintaining strict production practices, only to face potential undercutting from imports that do not meet the same criteria.
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Progress at stake
The use of antibiotics for growth promotion has been banned in the UK and EU since 2006. UK farmers have voluntarily cut antibiotic use by nearly 60 percent since 2014, relying on the medications only when a clinical need arises. The unions warned that allowing Brazilian meat to continue flowing into the country would undermine this progress and expose public health to unnecessary risk.
Most Brazilian meat entering the UK ends up in the foodservice sector, where country of origin labelling is not required. This means consumers have no way of knowing what they are actually eating, the unions noted. The organizations fear that a public health incident traced to Brazilian imports would damage confidence in the entire beef and poultry industry, not just products from one country.
There is also concern about supply chain disruption. The unions flagged the risk of Brazilian meat being diverted onto the Great Britain market if the EU ban creates bottlenecks, and complications for trade with Northern Ireland farmers who operate under separate regulatory arrangements.
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What the unions are asking for
Beyond the import ban, the groups want the government to audit Brazilian production and traceability systems, increase the rate of physical checks on arriving products, and establish a broader UK framework requiring the same production standards for domestic and foreign agricultural goods alike. The letter described the lack of any government response as “unacceptable” given the documented health risks and reports of supply chain upheaval.
“The UK government must take action now to protect the British public from the health risks posed by antimicrobial resistance, maintain public trust in our food system, and show our farmers it backs home-grown food production,” the unions concluded. No timeline for a government response has been announced.
