UK farmers' union calls for Brazil beef, chicken ban after EU import decision

The UK's National Farmers' Union (NFU) is pressing the government to ban imports of Brazilian beef and chicken following the EU's decision to remove Brazil from its list of approved exporters over concerns about antibiotic misuse that could threaten human health and fuel antimicrobial resistance.

The NFU call comes after the EU said it would remove Brazil from countries approved to export animal products starting Sept. 3, according to the union's statement published Aug. 5. The EU decision comes from Brazil's inability to demonstrate compliance with rules preventing the use of critical antimicrobials that are reserved for human health or used for growth promotion or yield improvement.

Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock's technical negotiations with the EU Commission have continued since July 24, though European authorities have yet to provide a final response to documentation submitted by Brazil.

A potential UK ban could significantly impact protein trade flows, as Brazil ranks as the EU's largest chicken supplier, with 211,000 metric tons exported to the bloc in 2025, while also serving as the second-largest beef supplier, with 92,363 mt imported, including 24,381 mt of fresh beef, according to NFU data.

"There is a real risk that Brazilian beef and poultry originally destined for the EU could be diverted to the UK market, distorting trade and putting additional pressure on domestic producers," NFU president Tom Bradshaw said in the statement.

The trade diversion concern reflects broader market dynamics where blocked shipments often seek alternative destinations, potentially flooding secondary markets and depressing prices for domestic producers. UK farmers have already achieved a 60% reduction in antibiotic sales since 2014 through voluntary efforts, with an 83% decrease in antibiotics critical for human health, according to the NFU.

"Unless there is full confidence that Brazilian meat has been produced responsibly, the government should take the same precautionary approach as the EU and ban the import of Brazilian products," Bradshaw said. The union also called for increased testing frequency on products from high and medium-risk countries like Brazil, noting that only 94 samples were tested for veterinary medicine residues in 2023-24.

The NFU emphasized that any ban should remain until the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs conducts extensive in-person audits of Brazilian production and traceability systems, highlighting concerns about maintaining public trust in UK food safety standards.