FINAL SAY Fen Tiger


government’s eagerness to do a trade deal with Australia.


The great betrayal B


The UK trade deal with Australia is bad for British farmers, says Fen Tiger


ritish farmers – and livestock producers in particular – are set to pay a hefty price for the


Announced last month follow-


ing the G7 summit in Cornwall, the trade agreement will open up the Brit- ish market to Australian farmers. In time, tariff-free beef could reach these shores from Australia and fl ood our do- mestic market. Currently Australia pays a 20% tar- iff on all exports of beef and lamb. The government insists the fl oodgates will remain closed. But it is hard to see how they will stay shut when tariffs are re- moved – even if they are being phased out over 15 years.


Real worry


International trade secretary Liz Truss has negotiated a deal that makes it im- possible for British farmers to compete with Australian beef – no matter that it is shipped here from the other side of the world.


The real worry for British farm-


ers is, of course, the lower standard of much imported beef. Australian farm- ers operate under different standards to British producers – and some of their production methods would be illegal here.


We like to think British beef is sec-


ond to none. The fear is that the vast Australian cattle lots with less than ideal conditions will result in inferior beef being sold here for British con- sumers.


Australian cattle are reared using hormones, antibiotics and lengthy transport times without access to wa- ter. And even if Australian beef is la- belled on supermarket shelves, many consumers will be none the wiser.


Uncomfortable truth Leaving the European Union means the UK government is now free to strike its own trade deals. With that comes the need to acknowledge an un- comfortable truth: British farmers – me included – have long been cush- ioned from the harsh reality of the ruthless global market. Many of us have become so accus- tomed to our annual basic payment that it is hard to see how we will sur- vive without it, let alone compete with cheap food imports that undercut our own beef and lamb.


It is not a subject or a theme that is widely spoken about in public. But


“ 74 ANGLIA FARMER • JULY 2021


‘Our own government has chosen Brisbane over Blighty.’


Brexit and the removal of the basic payment, which starts to be phased out later this year, puts British farm- ers and food producers in direct compe- tition with the rest of the world. But we can’t compete on price – not when we are expected to abide by some of the highest production standards in the world. Those high production standards all add cost and that should be recognised by the government.


Diminishing returns Some say the 15-year transition period is generous and gives us time to adapt. But those high production standards will still be there when it is over. And at the same time, our returns and mar- gins are slowly diminishing. Surging global commodities, the covid pandemic and the threat of all- out war in the Middle East mean it is a wonder that the Australian trade deal ever reached the front pages. The fact that it did shows that people do care what we eat. If Australian cattle farms are big- ger and better than ours – and pro- duce better quality meat then I have no problem with that. But the fact is that we are being expected to compete on a playing fi eld that is far from lev- el. And that is unfair. Ideally, the quality of our product should shine through. But it is hard to see how when our very own gov- ernment has chosen Brisbane over Blighty.


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