Farm leaders fear Brazilian poultry could be diverted to the UK once EU import restrictions take effect
British farmers could face a surge in Brazilian beef and chicken diverted from the EU unless ministers introduce equivalent import restrictions, the NFU has warned.
The union is urging the government to impose a precautionary ban from 3 September if Brazil cannot demonstrate that its antibiotic use meets equivalent safeguards.
The call follows an EU decision to remove Brazil from the list of countries approved to export products of animal origin to the bloc from that date.
The move was taken because Brazil has not demonstrated compliance with EU rules aimed at reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance.
Under those rules, products such as beef and poultry cannot be exported to the EU if they come from animals treated with certain critically important antimicrobials reserved for human health, or with antibiotics used for growth promotion or yield improvement.
The NFU says Brazil has so far been unable to show that it meets those requirements.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw warned that allowing imports into Britain while restrictions apply elsewhere could undermine public confidence.
He said: “There’s a real risk that public confidence in our food system will be undermined if consumers believe GB is importing beef or poultry meat that both EU and non-EU countries have deemed unsafe.”
The union is also concerned about the impact on British producers if Brazilian meat previously destined for the EU is redirected to the UK.
Brazil was the EU’s largest supplier of chicken in 2025, exporting 211,000 tonnes to the bloc.
EU imports of Brazilian beef totalled 92,363 tonnes in the same year, including 24,381 tonnes of fresh beef, making Brazil its second-largest supplier.
Without equivalent UK restrictions, the NFU fears some of that product could seek alternative markets in Britain.
Mr Bradshaw said: “At the same time, it would distort trade flows with Brazilian meat being diverted onto our market, putting additional pressure on producers in Britain, where the use of antimicrobials for growth promotion has rightly been outlawed for over two decades.”
The union argues that the issue is not only about trade, but also about the progress made by British farmers in reducing antibiotic use.
UK farm antibiotic sales have fallen by 60% since 2014, while use of antibiotics considered critically important for human health has dropped by 83%, according to figures cited by the NFU.
The use of antibiotics for growth promotion has been banned in the UK and EU since 2006.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria and other microbes become resistant to medicines used to treat infections, making some treatments less effective.
Mr Bradshaw said: “A key responsibility of any government is to ensure that imported products are safe and do not pose a human health risk.”
He added: “But clearly the EU do not have confidence that this is the case. Their government have banned Brazilian meat – the UK government needs to do the same.”
The NFU is calling for any UK restriction to remain in place until Defra has carried out an extensive in-person audit of Brazilian production and traceability systems.
It also wants a significant increase in testing of animal products from countries considered medium or high risk, including Brazil.
According to the union, only 94 samples of Brazilian products of animal origin were tested for veterinary medicinal residues in 2023-24.
The NFU is also renewing its call for core production standards that would apply equally to British and imported agri-food products.
It argues that common standards are needed to prevent UK farmers from being undercut by imports produced using methods that are illegal domestically.
Mr Bradshaw said: “It is less than a week until these bans come into force – the UK government must take action now to protect the British public from the health risks posed by antimicrobial resistance and maintain public trust in our food system.”