In the UK, the UK farming sector has made it clear to government that it can shoulder no more pain on behalf of other sectors of the economy, as trade talks with the USA continue. Following significant financial market disruption, US President Donald Trump announced that he would apply a baseline “universal” tariff of 10% on nearly all imports to the US and additional tariffs on steel and aluminium.
The clock is now ticking for many countries which face the prospect of additional tariffs being applied when the 90-day grace period President Trump announced runs out on July 9. Delivering a united message, UK farmers said further agricultural concessions would cripple an already hard-pressed farming and growing sector which had already “done its bit” on trade with Washington.
The US was given new, tariff-free access to the UK beef market for 13,000t of hormone-free beef (TRQ), and a tariff reduction on the existing 1,000t beef quota from 20% to 0%. The US was also granted new tariff-free access for 1.4 billion liters of US ethanol, which will put the UK’s bioethanol and associated sectors under pressure. This access for US imports came into force on June 30.
Now, the NFU is calling for a commitment that agriculture will not be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations to reduce the remaining 10% tariffs and is asking the government to be prepared to walk away rather than risk our domestic food and farming sector.
