The NFU has welcomed news that the UK’s agri-food and drink attachés have unlocked £80m in new export opportunities, but is warning that rebuilding British exports to the EU under the forthcoming UK-EU SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) agreements will require significant attachés investment to ensure they have the right tools to grow and deliver for British farmers and the economy.
The agri-food attachés network, created after extensive NFU campaigning and expanded further at the 2023 Farm to Fork Summit, is part of the NFU’s ambition to grow UK agri-food exports by 30% to £33 billion by 2030.
The attachés play a key role in building relationships with their boots-on-the-ground approach and help UK exporter to capitalise on opportunities in overseas markets.
However, the NFU is clear that the attachés must form part of a wider trade policy that champions British food abroad while protecting our most sensitive sectors and ensuring farmers are not undercut by produce produced to lower standards abroad.
“The EU remains our largest trading partner, accounting for 68% of the UK's total agri-food exports in 2025, and we cannot ignore the stark reality that our agri-food exports to the EU have declined by 32.5% since 2019.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
On the decline
NFU President Tom Bradshaw described the news as a welcome win for British agriculture, saying: “The NFU long campaigned for increased resource in our embassies overseas, and these ‘boots on the ground’ are doing vital work in breaking down trade barriers and promoting British food to consumers all over the world.”
However, Tom went on to raise concerns over the decline in British agri-food exports to the EU since Brexit.
“The EU remains our largest trading partner, accounting for 68% of the UK’s total agri-food exports in 2025, and we cannot ignore the stark reality that our agri-food exports to the EU have declined by 32.5% since 2019.”
“The government believes that a well negotiated SPS agreement will deliver significant economic growth. To re-build these markets will require significant investment in resources with the agri-food attachés in those key EU markets essential to promote and champion British produce, unlock new export opportunities and drive long-term economic growth for the country.”
Vital role
Reflecting on their successes so far this year, Defra said the attachés have unlocked 20 global trade barriers, securing genetics exports to the USA and cheese exports to Brazil.
Additional breakthroughs include delivering new market access for British poultry and eggs in the UAE and exports of processed animal protein to Indonesia worth £10 million annually.
The attachés successes were marked during their annual Industry Engagement Week – a week of intensive engagement with British food and farming businesses. During the week, the NFU met with the attachés at ministerial events and producer visits to discuss the NFU's priorities over the coming year.
The NFU stressed the important role the attachés have in supporting the industry to rebuild the UK's exports to the EU once the upcoming SPS agreement is in place, and enabling British exporters to make use of the increased market access the government has secured for British food in its FTA (Free Trade Agreement) negotiations.
