British beef export market may lose over £500m, industry leaders warn
16th September 2024
The British meat industry is warning that beef exports can be “ceased overnight” as Defra is failing to comply with the EU’s new regulations.
The British Meat Processors Association said that the government’s inaction on the impending European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is threatening to halt lucrative beef exports to the EU and create an open goal for competitor countries like New Zealand, Argentina and the US to step in and take our export market.
An association’s spokesperson added: “With a looming deadline of 1st January 2025 firmly in their sights, the UK government have done nothing to prepare for the new export requirements.
“In fact, anecdotal evidence suggests they are actively washing their hands of responsibility, suggesting instead that it’s up to the industry to deal with it.”
What could happen?
The British Meat Processors Association said: “This can’t simply be a commercial, industry-level system. It has to have the backing and weight of a government behind it and currently they are the missing link in this chain.
“Without government involvement, it won’t be acceptable to the EU and the UK would have to cease exporting beef.”
The association confirmed that this would mean 90% of the £580 million British beef export market being “cease overnight”.
What should be happening?
The British Meat Processors Association said that, as all other countries inside and outside the EU are doing, the UK government needs to nominate a competent authority to enforce and ensure full compliance with the new regulation.
They added: “In our case, that’s probably Defra. British authorities need to be talking to EU authorities to clarify the new regulations, communicate that to the industry, and put the structure in place to manage compliance.”
BMPA has written an urgent letter to Defra Minister Daniel Zeichner laying out a practical solution that utilises existing UK traceability systems but, crucially, requires government to play its part.
BMPA’s CEO, Nick Allen, said: “We’ve seen presentations from competitor countries like Argentina who have created impressive, government backed systems to comply with the new EU deforestation regulation. They’re now poised to step in from day one to supply fully compliant beef into the EU and will be more than willing to take Britain’s slice of the market.
“As a government keen on fostering growth, Labour must take this seriously. We’ve written about the need for a joined-up, collaborative approach from government in our new BMPA Meat Industry Manifesto.
“These new requirements are now part of EU law. Whether or not they choose to delay the 1st January deadline, we will have to comply and we will need government to play its part.”
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