NFU President Tom Bradshaw said the first official, overarching blueprint for trade policy in several years was “useful” and contained reassuring references to maintaining food standards, upholding high animal welfare and protecting sensitive farming sectors through safeguards and permanent quotas.
But he added that more “meat on the bones” was needed.
This is the government's first trade strategy since leaving the EU with the aim of promoting economic growth alongside the recently published industrial strategy.
“We’re aware the government has said this strategy is only the start of policy development, but I can’t help feel it is a missed opportunity.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Detail lacking
The NFU had made a substantial submission to the Department of Business and Trade consultation on the strategy. It had set out specific actions that would demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the UK’s high food and farm standards, enhance transparency and trust, and maximise our agri-food sector’s overseas reach.
NFU Sugar also submitted evidence, highlighting the need for the government to commit to key underpinning principles around rules-based trade, impact-assessed trade, and core standards.
“While the principle of this strategy is welcome, there is little meat on the bones,” Tom said.
“Detail is lacking about how the government intends to address the trading challenges the UK faces, not least the agriculture sector’s concerns around food being imported into the UK that would be illegal to produce here, as well as how to maximise agri-food export opportunities.
“It also falls short of committing to the establishment of core standards which would be applied to all food imports, something the NFU has long called for.
“We’re aware the government has said this strategy is only the start of policy development, but I can’t help feel it is a missed opportunity.
“The NFU will continue to work closely with ministers to shape its next steps to ensure it enables a thriving agriculture sector which is beneficial for both farmers and consumers.”
Key points for agriculture
Many of the asks the NFU identified in our response to the government’s trade strategy consultation back in January 2025, including the establishment of core standards for agri-food imports, are missing. The government intends to set out criteria soon by which businesses can hold it accountable for delivery. We will work closely with government to shape the next steps and delivery of the strategy.
Supporting businesses to export
This is no new support or policy on export promotion nor the resumption of the work of the Food and Drink Export Council. Our key asks to strengthen the UK’s network of agri-food and drink attachés in our embassies in key overseas markets and to facilitate a collaborative, strategic approach that brings government and industry together to focus on the opportunities to grow agri-food exports and address barriers to growth have not been addressed in the document.
Importance of imports
In this section, the government states that imports play an important role in providing choice for consumers and inputs for our domestic economy. It also highlights the risk of being over-reliant on limited suppliers and products that do not meet the same standards.
On a positive note, the government reiterates its commitment to maintain food standards and uphold high animal welfare standards. However, it doesn’t go as far as establishing a set of core production standards that would apply to both domestically produced and imported food sold in the UK. We have been calling for the implementation of core standards to prevent UK farmers’ animal welfare and sustainability efforts from being undermined and to ensure that the UK does not simply offshore food production to countries with less sustainable systems and lower animal welfare standards.
Our border
This is about the government’s commitment to digitise trade processes in an effort to improve efficiency and communication between systems. We support the stated aim to reduce costs and red tape at the border. We also welcome the government’s efforts to agree an SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) deal with the EU to reduce friction at the border and to “invest in the systems that support the flow of agri-food commodities into the UK, where perishability puts a special premium on just-in-time supplies”.
The government’s plan to modernise detection capabilities and ensure border force officers have the tools and skills they need to fight against illegal imports is good news and in line with our ask to allocate sufficient resource to stamping out fraud and illegal activity where that exists.
Green growth
The strategy reinforces the government's commitment to strong climate and environmental targets. It also hints at the fact that many inputs for the net zero transition will have to be imported, focusing on access to imports.
There is a commitment to explore clean energy cooperation with markets like Brazil and Mexico.
