UK farming leaders have raised fresh concerns after EU governments formally approved the Mercosur trade deal, with the Ulster Farmers’ Union warning of serious consequences for domestic producers.
The UFU said the decision to back the agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay has intensified fears that farmers across the UK could be exposed to cheaper imports produced to standards not permitted within the EU.
Negotiated over more than two decades, the Mercosur deal is expected to significantly increase agricultural imports into the EU under preferential tariff arrangements, including beef.
Farming organisations across the UK and Europe have warned that the agreement risks creating an uneven playing field for producers operating under strict regulatory requirements.
The UFU said the move raises fundamental questions about whether farmers can fairly compete with products produced under very different systems, particularly where differences exist in animal welfare rules, traceability, regulatory oversight and production practices.
UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy said the approval of the deal risked placing further pressure on farm businesses. “The approval of this deal raises fundamental questions about fairness in international trade,” he said.
He added: “Farmers are already operating under tight margins and stringent regulations. Opening the door to increased imports produced to lower standards risks undermining confidence, competitiveness and the long-term viability of family farms.”
The union also warned the deal could weaken consumer confidence in the food supply chain, particularly where imported meat is regulated differently from UK and EU production.
Similar concerns have been echoed by farming groups across Europe, with warnings of market distortion, downward pressure on prices and negative impacts on rural economies if safeguards are not fully enforced.
The UFU is calling on policymakers in Belfast, Dublin and Brussels to ensure all Mercosur imports are subject to checks equivalent to EU standards, that safeguard mechanisms can be activated swiftly if markets are disrupted, and that farmers remain closely involved in assessing the agreement’s real-world impact.
“Trade agreements must deliver balance,” Mr Cuddy said. “Farmers need assurances that standards will be upheld, safeguards will be enforced and that they will not be left carrying the burden of decisions taken far beyond the farm gate.”
He said it was “fundamentally unfair” to expect farmers operating to some of the highest standards in the world to compete with imports produced under different systems.
Mr Cuddy also urged continued efforts to promote domestically produced meat, encouraging consumers across the UK to check labels carefully and support retailers committed to sourcing local produce.
